Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science

FACTORS AFFECTING THE ADOPTION OF FARM MECHANIZATION IN RUPANDEHI, NEPAL

saroj dhakal

Agricultural mechanization is pivotal in farmer’s fields as it functions more efficiently and helps increase farm productivity. Despite the massive involvement of people in agriculture, farm productivity is relatively low. One main reason for this is the staggered implementation of farm mechanization. This paper explored the factors affecting the adoption of farm mechanization using the Chi-square test. A total of 112 respondents, 28 each from 4 municipalities of Rupandehi district were interviewed based on stratified random sampling technique. The results showed that the adoption rates of various farm machinery were notably high, with tractors, cultivators, mills, and sprayers being universally employed by 93.75 % of the surveyed individuals. The government subsidies to only 7% of farmers facilitate machinery procurement. The size of the total cultivated land was found to be significant over the use of harvester, grass cutter, and power tiller, and owing of milling machine. The purpose of farming also impacted the use of grass cutters and harvesters. The availability of subsidies and owning of mills were found inter dependent. The annual expenditures of farmers and their access to the Custom Hiring Centre were found to be significant. Lastly, with index values of 0.402 and 0.393, the high costs of farm machinery and small land holdings were major problems in the adoption of farm mechanization. Therefore, addressing the high initial costs of modern farm equipment, providing targeted subsidies, innovative institution formation to provide better services to marginalized farmers, and expanding extension services are essential steps to promote the adoption of farm mechanization.

ECONOMICS OF PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum) IN RASUWA DISTRICT, NEPAL

Sonam Kumari Kalwar

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the important cash crops of Nepal which contributes a lot to the rural livelihood of Nepal. It accounts for 5.52 percent to AGDP of Nepal. To study the economics of production and marketing attributes of potato farming, a study was conducted in Uttargaya rural municipality of Rasuwa district. Questionnaire-based household surveys along with field observations were conducted, taking in consideration a total of 60 potato farmers selected by simple random sampling method. Additionally, 10 traders were also selected to study about the marketing. Among the different varieties used by farmers, Cardinal was the most preferred (46.7%). The average cost of production was found to be NRs 209,238/ha with benefit-cost ratio of 2.02. The average productivity of potato in the study area was found to be 16.15mt/ha. The average gross margin per ha, market margin and producer’s share were found to be NRs 206,604, 28/kg and 53.33 percent respectively. Similarly, four types of marketing channels were particularly identified. Five-point scaling technique was used for ranking the production and marketing problems. It identified that high cost and lack of quality inputs (I=0.87), scarcity of irrigation water (I=0.72), disease/insect/pest (I=0.78) were the major production problems whereas wholesaler’s dominancy over the market (I=0.87), low market price (I=0.77) were the marketing constraints. Moreover, middlemen’s dominancy influenced the farm gate price. Technical, infrastructure, government support through subsidies if provided will surely enhance the production and profitability of potato enterprise with the advantage of climatic condition of the district.

Optimization of dose of frozen maggot used as fish food for stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)

This study was performed to evaluate growth performance of stinging catfish, (Heteropneustes fossilis) by applying different dozes of frozen maggot meal as a protein source and fish meal replacer. The experiment was carried out in 28 days at the Wet laboratory, Department of Aquaculture and laboratory of the Department of Animal Nutrition, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh. The frozen maggot as feed for H. fossilis post-larvae production was designed where five different diets of only frozen larvae such as T1 (larvae 20%, crude protein 11.20%), T2 (larvae 40%, crude protein 22.40%), T3 (larvae 60%, crude protein 33.60%) and T4 (larvae 80%, crude protein 44.80%) and a control diet T5 (crude protein 30%) made with fish meal as sole source of protein. It was observed that T3 had the significantly highest (p<0.05) final weight (1.55g), followed by T5 (1.50g), T2 (1.35g), T4 (1.25g) and T1 (1.16g). Specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio, apparent protein utilization and survival rate were significantly higher in T3 than other treatments. It is recommended to use the frozen maggot meal as a protein source and fish meal replacer, which will be cheaper and profitable to aquaculture sector of Bangladesh.

Enhancing Rice Yields Through Foliar Application of Essential Micronutrients: A Study on Zinc, Copper, and Boron Nutrition in a Nepalese Context

Lokendra Yogi

Quantitative data on the effects of essential micronutrients, namely Boron, Zinc, and Copper, on rice (Oryza sativa L.) remain limited, hindering optimized crop management strategies. In pursuit of enhancing rice yields, foliar application of these micronutrients was investigated in a randomized complete block design with three replications at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College in 2022. The treatments encompassed the types of elements (Zinc, Boron, and Copper) and doses of foliar application (5, 2, and 2 kg/ha) on the local variety Kaljade, with specific designations: t1: control, t2: Zinc, t3: Copper, t4: Boron, t5: Zn + Cu + B, t6: Zn + Cu, and t7: Zn + B. Under well-watered conditions, the type of elements exhibited significant effects on all parameters studied. Notably, the combination of Zinc, Copper, and Boron (Zn + Cu + B) demonstrated remarkable outcomes across multiple metrics. Zn + Cu + B yielded the shortest maturity duration (116.3 DAT), the highest number of tillers (22.5), and the tallest plant height (107.7 cm). Additionally, Zn + Cu + B exhibited the greatest leaf area index (0.0724) and the most abundant number of grains per panicle (22.6) and thousand-grain weight (21.83 gm). Moreover, Zn + Cu + B presented the highest biological yield (12.35 t/ha) and grain yield (5.9 t/ha), reflecting its potential to elevate rice productivity compared to the control treatment (4.12 t/ha). These findings hold valuable implications for rice cultivation management, emphasizing the significance of Zinc, Copper, and Boron nutrition in the specified locations. Overall, this study's findings underscore the importance of employing foliar application techniques for optimizing micronutrient availability, leading to enhanced rice yields. Future agricultural practices in the study area should pay more attention to Zinc, Copper, and Boron nutrition to further augment crop productivity and ensure food security.

Effect of Different Doses of NPK Fertilizer on Growth and Yield of Rice in Gokuleshwor Baitadi

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different doses of NPK fertilizers in rice production of the Bahugunidhan-1 variety from June to October 2023 in the research field of Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College, Baitadi. Eight treatments with three replications were arranged in a randomized complete block design. The treatments were t₁ - control, t₂ - 100:30:30, t₃ - 120:30:30, t₄ - 80:30:30, t₅ - 100:10:30, t₆ - 100:50:30, t₇ - 100:30:10 t₈ - 100:30:50 kg NPK per hectare respectively. The parameters under study were dry matter production, plant height, leaf number, leaf area index, effective and non-effective tiller, panicle number, panicle length, and grain yield. The treatments positively influenced all the parameters. The investigation showed that the plant height at different growth stages varied with variations in fertilizer doses. Tiller numbers per hill were found to be highest under 100:10:30 and 100:30:30 treated plots. Leaf area index, panicle length, and effective tillers per hill were found to be superior under 100:30:30 NPK kg per hectare. Days required for 50% panicle initiation were longest in control. Grain yield was found highest (3.95 t/ha) under 100:50:30 which was also statistically at par with 100:30:30 and 120:30:3 while straw yield was found highest under 100:30:10 which was also statistically similar with 100:50:30 and 100:30:30 kg NPK per ha. These findings illustrate the significant impact of NPK dosages on growth and yield parameters of rice production in the Gokulehswor, Baitadi.

Molecular identification of biosurfactant producing bacteria from oil polluted soil samples in Abakaliki, Ebony State, Nigeria

Elochukwu Chidubem Sunday Okoye

Several human activities have led to environmental pollution with crude oil and other related substances. There are several methods of remediating contaminated environments, but the use of biological agents such as biosurfactants are widely practiced and generally accepted as a safe and eco-friendly method. This study aimed at isolating and identifying biosurfactant-producing bacteria obtained from oil polluted soil samples in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria using molecular techniques. Six waste oil-contaminated soil samples were collected from mechanic sites and generator repair workshops, and taken to the Laboratory for analysis. Nine bacterial isolates were obtained from the waste oil-contaminated soil samples using standard microbiological and biochemical routine tests, and were screened to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular identification of the biosurfactant-producing isolates was also carried out using PCR and genes responsible for biosurfactant production targeted. The isolates were then screened for their biosurfactant-production ability using oil spread test expressed as oil displacement activity (ODA) and emulsification index (E24), using different substrates as carbon source for the organisms. Pseudomonas aeruginosa showed had the highest ODA of 28.1 cm while Staphylococcus aureus had the least ODA of 5cm. P. aeruginosa E24 of 70.1% and S. aureus E24 of 32.5%. Hence, Pseudomonas and Bacillus have good potentials for biosurfactant production, and can be harnessed and utilized in the cleanup of oil contaminated environment.

SHEATH BLIGHT OF RICE: A REVIEW OF HOST PLANT INTERACTION AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Ganesh GC

The devastating pathogen Rhizoctonia solani, which is responsible for significant quality and production losses worldwide, is discussed in this review article along with the symptoms, disease cycle, epidemiology which causes sheath blight disease in rice. Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn, poses a significant threat to tropical Asia's rice production, potentially reducing grain yield by 50%. The article also emphasises the numerous management techniques, such as cultural, biological, and chemical controls. It is a severe production bottleneck in high yielding rice varieties under intensive rice production techniques, monoculture methods, a dense canopy, and extensive nitrogen management. Disease propagation in fields is influenced by air temperature, moisture content, and leaf wetness, with 16-25 C temperature range and 90% humidity favoring growth. Vertical and horizontal spread are influenced by these factors. The article provides comprehensive insight on host plant interaction.

The IMPACT OF IPM TRAINING ON PEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN MAJOR VEGETABLES IN PALPA, NEPAL

A study assessed the impact of IPM training on pest management in major vegetable crops in Palpa district, selecting 138 respondents through purposive random sampling in Tansen municipality, and Bagnaskali and Ribdikot rural municipalities. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews on prevailing IPM practices, pesticide handling, and challenges in IPM adoption. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square, were used to analyze relationships between variables. The majority of trained respondents were from Tansen municipality, with more females trained than males. Most respondents used both IPM and chemical pesticides, though a few relied solely on IPM. Despite preferring botanical methods, respondents predominantly used chemical pesticides due to factors like pesticide availability, lack of biopesticides, high IPM costs, social constraints, and no block farming. Agro-vet was the main information source on pesticides. Control levels influenced chemical pesticide purchases, and awareness of pest resistance was low. Both trained and non-trained respondents sprayed pesticides during pest outbreaks, with few reporting symptoms from exposure. Trained respondents were more aware of the impacts of chemical pesticides on beneficial insects and soil health, the importance of the waiting period, safe pesticide disposal, and safety precautions. Significant associations were found between IPM training and chemical pesticide use, awareness of their impacts on beneficial insects, pesticide disposal methods, waiting periods, safety precautions, and perceptions of soil impact.

Fish Biodiversity Status and Threats of Chinadi Beel in Bangladesh

Mahmudul Hasan Mithun

The focus of this investigation was to look into the variety, abundance, and conservation status of fish fauna in the Chinadi Beel region of Bangladesh. A pre-tested questionnaire and a direct catch evaluation survey were employed to conduct the study in the beel. In the examined beel, a comprehensive count of 3,360 fish specimens, encompassing 52 distinct fish species from 8 orders and 19 families, was documented. Cypriniformes was identified as the dominating order among the 8 orders examined, accounting for 51.49% of the total. Out of 52 fish species about 31 least concern (59.61%), 8 endangered (15.38%), 6 vulnerable (11.54%), 6 near threatened (11.54%) and 1 critically endangered (1.92%) species were observed according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The study utilized population diversity indices, specifically the Shannon-Weiner diversity index (H'), Margalef species richness (d), Pielou's evenness index (J'), and Simpson dominance index (c), to assess the species diversity, richness, and evenness of fish which value were found to be 2.50, 4.30, 0.90, and 0.30, respectively. Chinadi Beel has the capacity to function as a significant reservoir of fishing resources and a repository of genetic information for many fish species. However, the present study emphasized several anthropogenic and environmental issues, such as unregulated fishing, agricultural pollutants, illegal or harmful fishing, the construction of infrastructure for development, and climate change. Hence, it is highly recommended to implement ecosystem-based fisheries management that actively involves the local population in order to guarantee the long-term preservation of these water bodies.

Dominance of Bactrocera dorsalis Hendel on Ceratitis cosyra Walker (Diptera: Tephritidae) in orchards in Bujumbura, Burundi

Liévin Ndayizeye

Fruit flies are serious pests of fruit and vegetables around the world posing a threat to commercial and subsistence fruit production, thus to farmers’ livelihoods. In Burundi, surveys have indicated the presence of around 34 species of fruit flies with dominance of two species, Bactrocera dorsalis and Ceratitis cosyra. This study aims to investigate the abundance of B. dorsalis and C. cosyra both in mango, citrus, and mixed orchards in Bujumbura city. Data was collected in six sites from December 2018 up to December 2019. Two attractants (methyeugenol and terpinyl acetate), insecticid (dichlorvos DDVP 70%) and tephri traps were used to attract and kill flies. The results of the study show that B. dorsalis is more abundant in all sites (97.91%) than Ceratitis cosyra (2.09%). The dominance of B. dorsalis over C. cosyra proves that B. dorsalis has displaced C. cosyra in orchards in Bujumbura city.

ACCESSING DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN ADVANCE WHEAT GENOTYPES USING STRESS TOLERANCE INDICES

In the context of climate change, drought is a widespread problem seriously influencing wheat production, mostly in the plains of Nepal. An experiment was conducted aimed to assess effect of drought on wheat traits, identify drought resilient genotypes, and compare stress tolerance indices. Altogether seventy-two genotypes including checks were evaluated under stress/drought and non-stress condition in an alpha-lattice design with two replications at the research block of National Rice Research Program, Hardinath, Nepal during winter of 2019/20. ANOVA result showed significant genotypic differences (p<0.01) in most of studied traits—days to heading, anthesis, and maturity, plant height, flag leaf area, spike length, grains/spike, 1000-grain weight, grain yield—under both conditions. Combined analysis highlighted the significant effect of G, E, and GxE on most traits. Similarly, environmental factors explained considerable 86.2% of variation in grain yield, with G and GxE contributing 9.5% and 4.3%, respectively. Among the nine quantitative traits assessed, grain yield was most severely affected due to stress, experiencing a substantial reduction of 63%. To evaluate stress tolerance of genotypes, six indices: TOL, SSI, MP, GMP, HMP, and STI were computed using the grain yield data. Most indices recognised NL1373, NL1308, NL1407, BL4868, and BL4947 as highly stress tolerant genotypes. Likewise, MP, STI and/or GMP were recognized as the most reliable measures for stress tolerance as conferred by their strong and positive correlation with yield under stress and non-stress conditions. Thus, the identified genotypes offer hope for breeding resilient wheat to ensure food security in drought-prone environments.

Revolutionizing Onion Preservation: A Novel Aerated Storage Approach

Asmaul Husna

The research aimed to design and develop an aerated storage system for onions and examined the extent of losses to assess the efficacy of the storage system. Unseasonal rainfall and adequate storage facilities result in quick sales and spoilage of onions. A huge amount of onion is damaged due to a lack of proper post-harvest actions like storage, transportation, temperature control, and humidity control in our country. In this study, 40 kg of onion inside the storage and 10 kg of onion outside the storage were stored for four weeks from 12 October to 8 November to observe parameters like moisture loss, deterioration, sprouting, and marketable onion percentage. During storage, the environmental factors such as temperature and relative humidity were recorded. After the research work, it was found that the appropriate temperature was 27℃ with 83% relative humidity resulting in minimum losses throughout four weeks of storage period. It was also observed that marketable onion bulbs for aerated storage systems was 97.536% on the other hand marketable onion bulbs for natural or open storage systems was 91.629% which was less than aerated storage systems. So, the aerated storage system is more effective for storing the onion than the natural or open storage system. Small-scale farmers will be benefited and the supply chain management will be maintained using this storage system. Additionally, stakeholders and families will benefit from reduced onion damage percentages when utilizing this storage solution.

Elevated salt stress level affected the productivity and chlorophyll content of Centella asiatica (L.)

LITUN AHMED LABIB

The present research work was conducted to assess the growth and yield performance of Centella under salt stress at the Germplasm Centre, Department of Horticulture, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, during September 2021 to February 2022. This research work was conducted using a randomized complete block design with four replications. To assess the salt stress adaptation of Centella five concentrations i.e., 0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, and 200 mM salts were applied in four replications on 20 pots. The highest number of leaves (258.5), number of runners (126.75), petiole length (9.38 cm), chlorophyll content (41.62 SPAD value), fresh weight of leaves (23.92 g), dry weight of leaves (7.97 g), fresh weight of shoot (1.84 g) and dry weight of shoot (0.61 g) were found at 84 days after transplanting from control (2.34 mM base value) except fresh weight of root (1.95 g) and dry weight of root (0.65 g) which increased and was highest at 150 mM. Increased in salinity levels from 0 to 200 mM, number of leaves, number of runners, petiole length, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry weight of leaves were gradually decreased except fresh and dry weight of root. The investigations revealed that the increase in salinity level had greatly reduced the growth and yield of Centella asiatica.

From bytes to bushels: Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Empowering Agriculture

Sudarshan Khanal

With a world population of around 8 billion people, a robust change in agriculture is required in the near future to fulfill the increasing demand. The technological advancement of the 21^st century in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) has played a substantial role in enhancing numerous sectors of modern society, leaving almost no sector untouched, including agriculture. Although AI and ML have already influenced agriculture, few countries have incorporated their agriculture with AI and ML on a large scale. The use of AI and ML optimizes agricultural operations and contributes to protecting the environment’s sustainability by reducing the ecological footprint of agricultural activities. This review article portrays diverse sectors AI can have in powering agriculture, which includes the use of the Internet of Things (IoT), computer vision technology, chatbots, and image recognition software. This article presents how these technologies have been integrated to facilitate precision agriculture through weed control, fertilizer management, water management, weather prediction, disease detection, yield management, phenotyping, and livestock management. While showcasing the promising aspects of AI in agriculture, this article also discusses the challenges in its adoption and the potential drawbacks it may pose to human civilization and the environment.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF CHILI PRODUCTION IN CHITWAN DISTRICT, NEPAL

The study was conducted to analyze the economics of production of Chili in Chitwan district. A field survey was conducted in Feb-March 2022. Sixty chili growing farmers were selected from the study site. The required information was obtained through a questionnaire survey. The maximum number of farmers were cultivating chili in leased areas. The marketing channel was identified as Producers – Traders – Consumers as majorly opted by the farmers. Gross return per hectare was found out as NPR and the benefit cost ratio in chili production was found as 2.34. The net income per hectare was found by NPR. 347090.70. The average farm gate price of chili was NPR.78. The producer’s share was 74.38%. Price fluctuation and infestation of disease pests were the major problems in chili production. The opportunities in Chili cultivation included timely availability of chemical fertilizers, adaption of mulching techniques, increasing credit facility with low rate of interest and information of strong marketing groups. The study findings suggest that chili farming could be established as a profitable enterprise in Chitwan district.

Keywords: Economic analysis, Production , Traders and Benefit Cost Ratio.

Screening the potential phytoremediators in mining areas: a holistic approach for soil health and biodiversity conservation

Gisandu K. Malunguja

Phytoremediation has emerged as the most cost-efficient and eco-friendly approach for multielement remediation. However, the practical integration of phytoremediation in mining operations for developing countries is highly disregarded. Insufficient information on the available potential phytoremediators could be a reason for such an overlook. Therefore, a review to identify potential phytoremediators using a literature search was thought necessary to overcome this challenge. The review identified 180 phytoremediators belonging to 158 genera and 56 families. The Poaceae (21.67%), Fabaceae (13.89%) and Asteraceae (9.44%) are the families that contributed largely to the recorded phytoremediators. Plants with great multielement remediation include, Leucaena leucocephala, Acacia albida, and Alstonia boonei for trees; Cynodon dactylon and Sporobolus pyramidali for herbs; Lantana camara, and Manihot esculenta for shrubs. Many promising phytoremediators identified by the present review would offer a quick and straightforward means of implementation while saving time on trial experiments. If such potential candidate species are effectively integrated into contaminated sites, they can remediate a wide range of environmental contaminants while simultaneously capable of promoting biodiversity conservation. Nevertheless, the notable use of phytoremediation is attributed to its affordability and ecological viability. The essence of the review is to create awareness of sustainable remediation approaches.

Farmers' perception and adoption of management practices against tomato damage by tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta) in Pokhara, Nepal

Santosh Kafle

The tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta, presents a significant threat to tomato cultivation, impacting yields worldwide. Literature highlights the pest's invasive nature and the necessity for effective management strategies. We investigated farmers' perceptions and practices regarding T. absoluta in Pokhara, Nepal. The aim is to assess the current adoption of management practices, identify influencing factors, and uncover gaps in knowledge among farmers. We surveyed 69 randomly selected households involved in tomato cultivation. A semi-structured questionnaire was employed to collect data on farmers' observations of T. absoluta damage, adoption of management practices (chemical, physical, pheromone-based), and awareness of integrated pest management (IPM) and ecosystem services. Ninety-four percent of farmers observed T. absoluta damage in their fields, predominantly resorting to chemical pesticides (86.96%) while lacking awareness of environmentally friendly practices like IPM. Factors such as household head age, crop rotation, cropping systems, and family type significantly influenced the adoption of various management practices. Although used by 44.93% of farmers, pheromones were recognized as adequate by only 31%. This study highlights the alarming threat T. absoluta poses to tomato cultivation in Pokhara and the inadequacy of current management practices. Bridging knowledge gaps regarding eco-friendly approaches, such as pheromones and biological controls, is crucial. The research emphasizes the need to tailor extension approaches by considering sociodemographic factors and promoting awareness of ecosystem services, ultimately contributing to more sustainable pest management practices in agricultural settings.

ASSESSMENT OF FOREST COVER CHANGE, KEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE AND PERCEPTION OF LOCALS IN BIRENDRANAGAR MUNICIPALITY, SURKHERT DISTRICT, NEPAL

Rajesh Prasad Dahal

Land Use and Land Cover change has an immense impact on the global environment and ecosystem and is mostly connected with human activities such as conversion of forest into agricultural land and settlements. Forests are changing globally in quantity and quality, and in both increasing and decreasing trends. For the Birendra Nagar Municipality, this study evaluated LULC dynamics, the conversion of forest cover from 2000 to 2020, as well as community perceptions on forest cover change, its drivers. Landsat images of 2000 and 2020 were used for LULC dynamics and for forest cover change detection Using software GIS 10.8. Questionnaire survey, key informant survey, field observation and secondary data were acquired from journal articles, reports, District Forest office, books and various other sources to find out drivers of forest cover change and perception of locals. It was found that 1146 ha of forest area, 280.53 ha of water bodies, 752.62 ha of barren land were lost between 2000 and 2020. However, 1147.74 ha of settlement area and 1032.40 ha of agricultural land was gained.Net forest cover decreased overall by 4.67%, however, some areas within the municipality experienced an increase in forest cover namely Ward 11 and ward 16 of Municipality shows Highest positive and Negative Forest cover change in terms of Area. Expansion of agriculture land and settlements with the encroachment of forest area, haphazard infrastructure development, illegal timber harvesting and low regeneration capacity of land responsible for the reduction of forest, along with Community forestry approach, plantations programs, promotion of agroforestry practices, fuel transition were responsible drivers for improvements of forest cover. Water cycle disruption, Increases Natural hazard, Temperature rises, shortage of wood for fuel, extinction of indigenous species were the most perceived negative impacts of the forest cover reduction whereas income generation Activities, support biodiversity, easy to collect fuel wool and fodder and others including purifying air quality, increasing aesthetic beauty were the most perceived positive impacts of the forest cover improvement in the study area. Most of the locals have a holistic understanding of forest cover change. Strengthening forest protection, improving soil and water conservation structures, awareness creation, enrichment planting, Promote Alternate Energy Resources and Equitable benefit-sharing mechanism are possible solutions perceived by locals.

Keywords: Positive, negative, forest cover, change, perception, drivers, Impact

A Performance of Kharif Maize under Conservation Tillage in Silty Clay Loam Soil

Mozammel Hoque

Maize is a major staple food as well as potential cash crop for millions of people, mostly grown in the winter season in Bangladesh under conventional tillage practice. But huge area of cultivable land remains fallow in kharif-1 season in Sylhet region as well as other parts of Bangladesh. An experiment was conducted to study the performance of six maize varieties in the Kharif-I season (summer) under three tillage methods in Eastern Surma-Kushiyara floodplain (AEZ-20). The experiment was arranged in RCBD with three replications to observe yield contributing traits and yield performance of maize. Among the varieties, BARI Hybrid Maize-16 showed the highest grain yield followed by BARI Hybrid Maize-13 and BARI Hybrid Maize-9 in Kharif-I season. Based on tillage, the maximum number of leaves, cob length and diameter, kernel rows per cob, kernel per row, kernel per cob, highest gain yield, and stover yields were recorded in conventional tillage. Therefore, considering the yield and tillage methods, BARI Hybrid Maize-16 shows the best yield performance under conventional tillage in the kharif-I season in silty clay loam soil of Eastern Surma-Kushiyara floodplain of Bangladesh.

The EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT SPRING RICE GENOTYPES FOR SEEDLING STAGE GROWTH AT TULSIPUR, DANG

Dikchha Pantha

Rice, Nepal's main fundamental food crop provides a large portion of the country's income. Main season rice output is insufficient for food self-sufficiency; however, spring rice can be an option. A varietal selection trial on spring rice (Oryza sativa) was performed to compare ten different rice genotypes in irrigated condition in the seedling stage at Campus of Live Sciences, Tulsipur, Dang from April to May 2023.The research work was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replication. Data related to growth of seedling were collected at ten days interval. Result revealed that morphological traits were statistically different among different genotypes. The research exhibited highest average plant height (12.9cm), in IR09R270, number of leaves (2.44) in IR17A106, leaf length (6.59cm) in IR09R270, leaf breadth (0.18cm) in Svin080, shoot length (16.46cm) and root length (9.30cm) in IR112208B-B-RGA-BRGA as compared to others. Highest germination percentage was found (85.65) in IR112208B-B-RGA- BRGA. Heritability of most of the genotypes was noted to be higher than 60% which shows that there was a higher influence of genetic factor than environmental condition. Phenotypic coefficient of variance (PCV) was found to be slightly higher than genotypic coefficient of variance (GCV) which indicates minor influence of the environment on the expression of character. The finding of the study showed the rice genotypes namely IR09R270 and IR112208B-B- RGA-BRGA were found to be superior as compared to other which were elite genotype of Terai region. In conclusion, rice genotypes IR09R270 andIR112208B-B-RGA-BRGA show best performance under irrigated condition.

Key words genotypes; spring rice; irrigated condition; heritability

Aqua Drugs and Chemicals Used in Commercial Aquaculture in Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Mymensingh is a division in north-central Bangladesh renowned for its lush landscapes and agricultural productivity, with a strong focus on aquaculture as a key part of its economy. The study was performed to investigate the aqua drugs companies and their products used in commercial aquaculture farms in Mymensingh. Data were gathered from representatives of various aqua drug companies, district and upazila fisheries offices, chemical vendors, farmers, and hatchery owners in the Mymensingh region. The present study found aquaculture practices in Mymensingh rely heavily on various antibiotics, probiotics, disinfectants, and feed additives to prevent the spread of diseases, maintain water quality, and increase growth in culture fishes. Drugs from companies such as Fishtech, ACI Animal Health, Eon, Century Agro Limited, SK+F, Square Pharmaceuticals, Rals Agro, and Organic Pharmaceuticals are widely utilized across the Mymensingh division. Renamycin (antibiotic), Timsen, Emsen (disinfectants), Pond Care (probiotics), Zeolite Gold, Gasonex, and Mega Zeo Plus (zeolites) are commonly employed by farmers. Many farmers lack knowledge about chemicals, including proper dosages and application methods. This emphasizes the importance of adequate training and government oversight to ensure responsible use.

Status of citrus decline and its prevalent management practices in Nepal

sushma paudel

Citrus is highly traded horticulture crops belonging to family rutaceae. It is important subsector of midhills and terai plain of Nepal. Mandarin, sweet orange, lime and lemon are major citrus commodities grown in Nepal with the total citrus production of 306149 Mt. and productivity of 9.64 Mt./Ha. Size of the productive citrus orchard has been declining over the years. Citrus decline associated with various biotic and abiotic factors is responsible for reduced citrus production in Nepal. Citrus greening, Phytophthora root rot and citrus tristeza virus are major biotic constraint of citrus whereas poor orchard management and nutritional deficiencies are other major factor for citrus decline. Disease saplings and propagating materials, control of pest, internal and external quarantine, disease resistant root stock and scion and recommended practices for rejuvenation of old orchard are the management approaches to enhance the production and productivity of citrus.

AN ASSESSMENT ON ENVIRONMENTAL LAW TO MANAGE FOREST RESOURCES

Enforcing environmental laws is crucial. This study in Ramechhap district, Nepal, investigates the impact of environmental laws on forest resources management. Data was collected through surveys and interviews, including 67 households. The study explores perceptions of environmental laws, knowledge, understanding current practices, impacts, enforcement mechanism in managening forest resources and its role in sustaining livelihoods. The findings highlight the neglect of legal and regulatory aspects in previous research. To bridge this gap, greater attention is needed on these aspects. Data analysis was conducted using the chi-square homogeneity test in SPSS version 26 and MS-Excel 2016.The study found that people's perception of the impact of environmental laws on their lives was significantly associated with socio-economic variables such as Age (Pearson χ²=15.398, df=6, p=0.017),Education (Pearson χ²=26.347, df=10, p=0.003), Occupation (Pearson χ²=31.98, df=8, p=0.00) Ethnicity (Pearson χ²=12.686, df=4, p=0.013), Economic Status (based on khet bari) (Pearson χ²=9.597, df=2, p=0.008) at p-value < 0.05. However, Gender (Pearson χ² =2.021, df=2, p>0.05), Economic status (based on food sufficiency) (Pearson χ²=10.96, df=4, p>0.05) did not show significant attitudes towards the impact of environmental laws on sustaining their lives. The weakness of the enforcement mechanism in environmental law emphasizes the need for robust institutional frameworks and progressive environmental policies at various levels of government. Expanding similar studies to include different geographical and political regions of Nepal is essential to investigate the impact of environmental laws at the national level. Ultimately, effective implementation of environmental laws significantly contributes to sustainable forest management, preserving biodiversity and ecosystems, and promoting socio-economic development.

Adoption of post-harvest practices and their influencing factors: A study of ginger growers in Syangja, Nepal

Suruchi Aryal

Proper ginger post-harvest practices enhance quality, extend shelf life, and ameliorate market access. This study was carried out to know the status of adoption of post-harvest practices in ginger, examine factors associated with adoption, identify and rank major constraints of adoption. The collection of primary data involved 80 ginger growers chosen randomly from altogether 6 wards in Galyang, Waling, and Chapakot municipalities. Data entry and analysis were performed using two software: Ms Excel 2021 and SPSS Version 27. The adoption status of ginger post-harvest practices was assessed and quantified using frequency distribution. The chi-square test revealed a significant association between adoption and membership (5%), extension (1%) and training (1%). However, the association between demographic factors like age, gender, education level, experiences in ginger cultivation, and the adoption of post-harvest practices in ginger was statistically non-significant. Moreover, an independent sample t-test and indexing technique were employed. Average adoption index was computed based on which high and low adopters were categorized. Notable advantages emerged for high adopters as they cultivated ginger in larger areas (p < 0.01) and gained higher economic returns (p < 0.05). Five constraints regarding the adoption were ranked through indexing, where a poor marketing system had the highest index value of 0.83, followed by the unavailability of improved processing technologies. In contrast, labor crisis was the least ranked constraint. Offering impactful trainings and support to farmers in line with their recommendations can be the pivotal step towards enhancing the post-harvest practices in ginger sector in Syangja district.

Keywords: Chi-square test, Training, Indexing, Poor marketing system

Assessment of Wheat Genotypes for Spot Blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana sacc.) Resistance under Artificial Epiphytotic Conditions in the Inner Terai of Nepal

Spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana Sacc.) is an important fungal disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum), causing economic losses in low fertile soil with a warm, humid climate in the inner Terai region of Nepal. A field experiment was conducted using 378 wheat genotypes in an augmented design in artificial epiphytotic conditions at the National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur, Chitwan, during winter 2021/022 to assess the severity of spot blotch. Each genotype was sown in a single 2 m-long row along with a mixture of susceptible check genotypes (Agra and Morocco) at every 20^throw. Aqueous spore suspension of B. sorokiniana was sprayed twice in border rows in the booting stage at a 15-day interval. Disease was scored four times at five-day intervals following a double-digit scale based on the percentage blighted area on the flag and penultimate leaf, and the area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) was calculated. 43 genotypes were categorized as resistant, 127 were moderately resistant, 135 were moderately susceptible, 66 were susceptible, and 7 were highly susceptible based on AUDPC. Cluster analysis revealed cluster 3 with 17 genotypes to be superior in terms of all disease as well as agronomic parameters. NRN-34 was ranked best among these genotypes, followed by NAL-73, NAL-94, NAL-12, NRN-34, NAL-57, NAL-43, NAL-82, and NAL-35, with lower AUDPC and higher yield-attributing character values. These findings may assist in varietal selection and breeding initiatives against spot blotch in wheat.

Detection of Citrus Greening Disease and Field Efficacy of Anti-Pathogen Chemicals against the Disease in Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco.) in Gulmi, Nepal

Abhinav Poudel

Citrus cultivation in Nepal is experiencing a persistent decline due to the widespread presence of Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as Citrus Greening Disease, in citrus-growing regions. Consequently, farmers are grappling with substantial economic losses and actively seeking preventive and remedial measures. In a research study conducted at Dhurkot, Gulmi, efforts were made to detect Citrus Greening Disease and assess the field efficacy of anti-pathogen chemicals against the disease in Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco.) A total of 51 orchards were subjected to HLB testing using the starch iodine test, and an experiment was set up to evaluate the effectiveness of various anti-pathogen chemicals. The experiment involved eight treatments arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Each replication included eight treatments designated as follows: T1: Neem oil 5ml/l + Lentinan 2ml/l, T2: Neem Oil 5ml/l + Bacillus amyloliquefacians 5ml/l, T3: Neem oil 5ml/l + Pseudomonas 5ml/l, T4: Imidacloprid 0.02% + Copper Oxychloride 0.025%, T5: Imidacloprid 0.02% + Streptocycline 250ppm, T6: Bacillus thuringiensis 2ml/l + Pseudomonas 5ml/l, T7: Bacillus thuringiensis 2ml/l + Bacillus amyloliquefacians 5ml/l, T8: control. The results revealed that out of the 51 orchards, 18 tested positive for HLB, representing 35.2% of the sampled size. Notably, plots treated with Neem oil + Bacillus amyloliquefacians and Bacillus thuringiensis + Bacillus amyloliquefacians demonstrated the highest percentage reduction in comparison to the control plot. Based on these findings, foliar application of Neem oil at a concentration of 5ml/l along with Bacillus amyloliquefacians at 5ml/l, and Bacillus thuringiensis at 2ml/l along with Bacillus amyloliquefacians at 5ml/l at monthly intervals showed promising results in reducing the severity of citrus greening.

IMPACTS OF PESTICIDE AND MANAGEMENT – A REVIEW

Manisha Timalsena

Pesticides are the chemical substances used to control agricultural pests and enhance agricultural productivity. Intensification in agriculture leads over-use of pesticides. Pesticides are very toxic in nature that causes acute and chronic risks on human health when employed without the safety any measures. Although the effect of pesticides is a major subject of concern, an in-depth study on this topic has not been done yet. Lack of awareness among farmers, climate-induced change in pest distribution patterns, pest resurgence, poor regulation, low-quality pesticides, etc. are the major causes of overuse of pesticides. The persistence of pesticide residue in environments and crops leads to long-term negative health hazards to humans, animals, and ecosystems. Cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes, reproductive failure, abnormal functioning of the body's metabolism, immune system disruption, over-sensitivity pneumonitis, silo filler's disorder, and neuromuscular respiratory failure and blood-related disease are the major consequences for the use of pesticides. The proper management of pesticide use through increasing the efficiency towards the specific pest was a prerequisite for the protection of human, animal, and environmental health adulteration. Pest population monitoring, pesticide alternations, proper time and amount of pesticide application, target-specific pesticide application, biological control, pheromones traps, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), and host plant resistance techniques were the major strategies suitable to reduce the hazardous effects of pesticides. Therefore this review addresses the major issue related to over use of pesticides, their causes, and proper management strategies that would help people protect themselves from serious hazards and overall sustainability of the ecosystem.

The Potential of Natural Coagulants for Bioremediation of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Wastewater in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Review

Michael Ahimbisibwe

Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) is one of the world’s top pesticide users relying on agricultural production for economic development. Pesticides and other agrochemicals are one of the major sources of Persistent organic pollutants (POPs). POPs such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and emerging perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are increasingly polluting soils, and water bodies especially lakes and rivers. SSA is also Africa’s highest POP emitters with limited monitoring and bioremediation avenues for these pollutants. Despite recent increases in published data in the region, there is limited information on the changes in POP concentrations, post ratification of the Stockholm Convention. Most countries in SSA have not have not developed clear measuring and monitoring regulatory procedures and standards for POPs but adapt United States Environmental Protection Agency standards. This review is aimed at addressing knowledge gaps in monitoring and Quantification of POPs, application of natural coagulants by different bioremediation techniques in the remove POPs in Sub Saharan environmental matrices and the reported cases of environmental and health risks associated with the changing POP concentrations in water, wastewater and effluent from the discharge points to the environment. Findings from reviewed studies reveal inconsistency in methods and analytes for POP monitoring, along with data scarcity in some regions, making it challenging to identify temporal trends. There is a decreasing concentrations of some legacy POPs in soil/sediment and aquatic organisms, with increasing concentrations of some POPs in water, fish, fruits and vegetables. PCBs in some river systems have concentrations beyond acceptable ranges of USEPA (1,090 and 7,190 ng/l). PFAs are the most common POPs particularly PFOA, PFOS, PFHxA, PFDA and PFPeA. Application natural coagulants in comparison with their chemical alternatives is gaining popularity for water and waste water treatment as a safer alternative with advantages of producing less sludge, increased environmental sustainability; reduced cost of handling sludge and less toxicity with no adverse threats to the environment. Moringa oleifera (MO) was identified as the most prevalent and effective plant-based coagulant and chitosan as the most common animal based coagulant applied in water and waste water purification. These coagulants are effective in remediation of hydrocarbons, heavy metals and trails on some POP like PCBs and Dioxins. Trivalent cations in most natural coagulants enhanced by their concentrated extracts shows potential for application in bioremediation of POPs in the environment. Natural coagulant application still present’s sustainability challenges and are have not been explored on large scale commercial water treatment.

IMPACT OF ADDED PHOSPHORUS AND PHOSPHORUS SOLUBILIZING BACTERIA (PSB) IN YIELD AND YIELD ATTRIBUTES OF MUNGBEAN (VIGNA RADIATE L.)

Rekha Pandey

Mungbean is an excellent rotational legume crop for farmers with small land holdings. Phosphorus Solubilizing Bacteria (PSB) solubilizes phosphorus to make it available to the plant so, their integration can be a supporting factor to increase its yield and enhance soil fertility. A field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Sciences (IAAS), Paklihawa Campus, Rupandehi during the summer season of 2023. The experiment comprised seven treatments, namely T1: Control, T2: 10 kg P2O5ha-1 , T3: 15 kg P2O5ha-1 , T4: 20 kg P2O5ha-1 , T5: 10 kg P2O5ha-1 + PSB, T6: 15 kg P2O5ha-1 + PSB, T7: 20 kg P2O5ha-1 + PSB tested in Randomized Block Design and replicated three times. Pratigya variety of Mungbean was used. The soil of the experimental field was medium in organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium before the experiment. The analysis was done in R studio software. Results revealed that all the growth and yield attributes increased significantly (p < .05) under the integrated treatment (20 kg P2O5ha-1 + PSB). The growth characters viz., plant height (61.65 ± 1.25 cm), nodule number (23.90 ± 2.22), dry matter accumulation(30.74± 1.37 g), and yield attributes like the number of pod plant-1 (26.6± 1.00), pod length (8.24 cm ± 0.05), the number of grains pod-1 (8.84 ± 0.08), biological yield (30.2 ± 0.79 mt/ha), seed yield (2.44 ± 0.05 mt/ha ) and harvest index (7.51 ± 0.18 %) increased significantly in T7 (20 kg P2O5 ha-1 PSB).

Effect of transplanting dates on growth, yield and quality of Broad Leaf Mustard (Brassica juncea L. var. rugosa) varieties at Rampur, Chitwan

Kaushila Bista

Broad Leaf Mustard, one of the most popular, highly commercialized, and widely grown green vegetables due to its richness in vitamins and minerals with peculiar taste. The field experiment was carried out at Horticulture Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan to evaluate the effect of transplanting dates on the growth, yield, and quality of Broad Leaf Mustard (Brassica juncea L. var. rugosa) varieties in Terai condition of Nepal during October 2021 to March 2022. The experiment was laid out in two-factor randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. There were sixteen treatment combinations comprising four varieties (Khumal Broad Leaf, Marpha Broad Leaf, Manakamana and Mike Giant) with four transplanting dates (October 25, November 9, November 24, and December 9). The results revealed that transplanting dates and varieties along with interaction significantly influenced the growth, yield, and quality of Broad Leaf Mustard. Among the varieties, Khumal Broad Leaf was significantly superior on growth parameters like plant height, leaf length and breadth, and plant canopy but on yield attributes the superior variety was Mike Giant based on a number of leaves harvested per plot (226.08) and leaf yield (26.43 mt ha^-1). However, the organoleptic test result revealed that the Mike Giant had excellent taste (74%) along with highest recovery percentage of Gundruk (27.62 %). Among the date of transplanting, mid-transplanting on November 9 was better in terms of growth and leaf yield of 28.92 mt ha^-1.While poorest performance was recorded on the last transplanting on December 9 in all growth, yield, and quality parameters with leaf yield of 17.36 mt ha^-1. The interaction effect of different varieties and transplanting dates resulted better growth and quality in Khumal Broad Leaf and Manakamana varieties when transplanted on November 9. So based on the results of the experiment, Mike Giant transplanted on November 9 produced better growth and yield than others for the optimum yield production in Chitwan, Nepal.

EFFECT OF Rhizobium WITH OR WITHOUT SULPHUR AND PHOSPHORUS IN GROWTH OF PEA (Pisum sativum)

Pujan Baral

This study was conducted to find the effect of Rhizobium with or without sulphur and phosphorus on growth of pea (Pisum sativum) at Gauradaha Agriculture Campus, Jhapa during winter season (January-March) 2023. The study consisting of eight treatments (T1: Control; T2: Rhizobium inoculated; T3: Rhizobium inoculated seed + sulphur; T4: Uninoculated seed + sulphur; T5: Rhizobium inoculated seed + phosphorous; T6: Uninoculated Seed + phosphorous; T7: Rhizobium inoculated seed + sulphur + phosphorous; T8: Uninoculated seed + sulphur + phosphorous) was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Observations like days of germination, days of flowering, number of branches, number of leaves and plant height were recorded. The result showed that the application of Rhizobium, phosphorous and sulphur have significant effect over the germination and days of flowering. The earliest and maximum germination was observed in T3 while days of flowering was minimum in T7 (53.75 days). Maximum plant height (20.6 cm) was observed in T7 while maximum number of branches (8.04) and number of leaves (30.9) were seen in T6. The statistically significant results were observed in treatments T8 (Uninoculated seed + sulphur + phosphorous), T3 (Rhizobium + sulphur) and T1 (Control) for germination (13.08). The results were non-significant for number of branches, number of leaves and plant height. Hence, Rhizobium along with sulphur and phosphorus can be used to improve the germination of pea.

Black Scurf of Potato: Symptoms, Epidemiology, Disease Cycle, and Management Practices.

Black scurf is one of the deadly fungal diseases of potatoes, common in the majority of the potato-producing regions around the world, and is caused by Rhizoctonia solani AG-3 (teleomorph Thanatephorus cucumeris [Frank] Donk). This disease has been causing both qualitative and quantitative damage to potatoes resulting in a huge economic loss and hence it has become a severe threat to the global potato crop. This disease affects potato development from emergence to harvest damaging both above-ground and underground parts. This disease is mainly characterized by the presence of fungal sclerotia attached to the surface of the tubers. The transmission of this disease is mainly favored by the fungal ability to survive either in the soil as sclerotia or in plant debris as mycelium for remarkably long periods. Furthermore, cool and damp conditions during crop periods and high soil moisture create a more conducive environment for the development of infection. An effective approach to the control of this disease requires integrated management tactics including cultural control (crop rotations, soil moisture management, etc.), chemical control, and biological control. This paper thoroughly discusses the symptoms, epidemiology, disease cycle, and management practices of Black scurf.

IN VITRO EVALUATION OF PLANT EXTRACTS AGAINST Bipolaris Sorokiniana CAUSING SPOT BLOTCH OF WHEAT

Priya Shahi

Spot blotch disease of wheat, caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana, is one of the most alarming disease in warm and humid regions of Nepal. The pathogen suppresses seed germination and seedling emergence, resulting in a major decrease in wheat production. Given the dangers of fungicidal sprays, an eco-friendly strategy was taken to address this condition by utilizing botanicals. An experiment was conducted in central laboratory of IAAS, Lamjung campus, to evaluate the effectiveness of four botanical extracts at three different concentrations (i.e. 5%, 10%, and 15%) against Bipolaris sorokiniana in vitro, using poisoned food technique in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). All of the plant extracts significantly inhibited the pathogen's mycelial growth as compared to control. After seven days, among plant extracts, 15 per cent Allium sativum showed maximum growth inhibition (61.73%) followed by 15 per cent Allium cepa (50.25%). Minimum mycelial growth was observed in 5 per cent concentration of Azadarichta indica i.e. (3.3%).The fungistatic ability increased with an increase in concentration of the botanicals. Significant effects of botanicals against pathogen growth suggest that they are effective control agent in the management of spot blotch of wheat.

Comparative Analysis of Red and Green Lettuce Microgreens Under Different Artificial LED Lighting Conditions

Microgreens, being more nutrient dense than mature plants, are experiencing increased consumption. The nutritional value of microgreens can be further enhanced through optimal lighting conditions. Keeping this in mind, the effects of LED light exposure on growth parameters, chlorophyll content, and carotenoids in two lettuce microgreens were investigated in this study. Green lettuce outperformed red lettuce in the studied morphological parameters, including stem length (2.74±0.22 cm), plant height (4.54±0.21 cm), and fresh weight (3.79±0.32 g/100 plants) under different LED. White light promoted taller plants with higher fresh weight (4.45±0.43 g/100plants), dry matter (4.84±0.38%), and leaf area (0.76±0.06 cm²) in both lettuce species. In contrast, red light reduced overall growth and development, as evidenced by a 54% decrease in leaf area, despite a 23.36% increase in plant height. Chlorophyll levels varied significantly among LED treatments, with white LED yielding the highest levels in both red and green lettuce. Highest chlorophyll a (146.37±6.27 µg/g FW), chlorophyll b (86.74±2.44 µg/g FW), total chlorophyll (233.11±8.69 µg/g FW) and relative chlorphyll (215.84±8.05 µg/cm²) content was found in green lettuce under white light condition. Similarly, green lettuce grown under white LED had the highest total carotenoid (100.26±6.78 µg/g FW), β-carotene (20.25±2.43 µg/g FW), and lutein (2.13±0.21 µg/g FW). Red lettuce with white LEDs had the highest lycopene content (21.06±1.85 µg/g FW). The order in which LED light colors affected plant morphological parameters was white > red+blue > blue > red and plant pigment parameters was white > blue > red+blue > red.

Insights into the germplasm conservation and utilization: Implications for sustainable agriculture and future crop improvement

Bishnu Yadav — 2024-03-25

Plant genetic resources are critical for maintaining global biodiversity and ensuring food security. However, these resources face threats from factors such as habitat loss and climate change, with approximately 22% of plant species estimated to be at risk of extinction. To address this issue, both natural and biotechnological methods are being developed to preserve plant genetic resources, with germplasm being a key component. Germplasm contains the complete genetic information of a plant and can be stored for extended periods and replicated as required. The objective of this study is to emphasize the importance of preserving germplasm of endangered or near-extinct plant species through in situ and ex situ conservation methods. In situ conservation involves conserving species in their natural environment, while ex situ conservation includes using gene-seed banks and tissue culture to store genetic resources. These methods are crucial for maintaining genetic diversity and preventing the loss of valuable plant resources. The study highlights the various ex situ conservation methods, including cryopreservation, pollen and DNA banks, farmer's fields, botanic gardens, genetic reserves, and slow-growing cultures, which are essential for preserving germplasm. Gene banks worldwide currently hold over 7.4 million accessions of crop genetic resources, demonstrating the value of germplasm conservation efforts. Additionally, understanding the phenotypic and genetic characterization of related species is crucial for identifying endangered or vulnerable species that can diversify into new varieties or subspecies. In conclusion, prioritizing germplasm conservation efforts is crucial for meeting future demands while preserving endangered or vulnerable species. This will ensure that plant genetic resources remain available for future generations and that agricultural innovation can effectively address global food security challenges.

Interplay of plant pathogens and host defenses: Unveiling the mechanisms and strategies for crop protection

Amrit Poudel — 2024-03-25

Plant pathogens, encompassing a diverse array of microbes including fungi, nematodes, protozoa, bacteria, and viruses, represent a significant threat to agricultural stability by compromising plant health. These microorganisms engage in a complex battle against plant immune systems, leading to diseases that can drastically diminish crop yields, degrade product quality, and in extreme cases, cause total crop failure. A comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms underlying plant infection, the specific pathogens involved, and the strategy for effective prevention is crucial for agricultural sustainability. This review paper provides a detailed examination of the multifaceted interactions between plant pathogens and their hosts, focusing on the entry mechanisms, symptom development, and prevention strategies against plant diseases. Major findings reveal the intricate ways pathogens interact with plant immune responses, the critical role of environmental factors in disease outbreaks, and the effectiveness of integrated disease management approaches. The paper concludes with a novel perspective, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable, science-based strategies to enhance plant resistance, safeguard food security, and mitigate the economic consequences of plant pathogenic diseases. This synthesis not only advances our understanding of plant pathology but also sets a framework for future research directions in plant disease management.

Customer attitude, buying behavior and satisfaction towards online shopping: An empirical study in some selected areas of Bangladesh

Tonny Sen — 2024-03-25

In the current digital era, online shopping has swiftly risen to prominence among Bangladeshis' preferred methods of making purchases. The current study was carried out to find out sub-urban customers' socio-economic profile, male and female attitudes, influencing factors, customer satisfaction, and problems with online shopping. For this study, 110 customers were selected using convenience sampling techniques at Muktagachha and Fulbaria Upazila in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh. Along with descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA) including factor analysis and Likert scales (5-point) were used to analyze the data. The study found that about 71% of the customers were aged 18 to 36 years; 100% of the customers were familiar with purchasing non-agricultural products; about 78% of the customers were interested in buying agricultural products in the near future; respondents used social media like Facebook (77%) for online shopping; and about 68% of the customers were willing to pay more for security, better quality of the products, and a reliable platform. Customer satisfaction shows that time-saving (4.17), variety of products (3.93), and cash on delivery (3.86) payment systems were considered satisfactory items for online shopping. Absent of touch and feel (3.47), less quality (3.31), and online payments (3.28) were the major problems of respondents while they bought products online. To increase customer awareness of information technology services and foster a favorable view of the e-commerce industry, all online retailers should enhance their convenient promotional tools and service strategies. This paper intended to identify the factors that influence consumers' decision-making when deciding whether or not to purchase a product.

Examination of the diversity in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.) growth accessions in south-eastern Nigeria

O. A. Umeh — 2024-03-25

The aim of the study was to compare the growth rates of various pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.) accessions. Pumpkins from Aku I, Aku II, Awka, Ifite-Ogwari Nsukka I, and Nsukka II were the various accessions. A field study was conducted at the Ifite-Ogwari Campus of Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Anambra State. The experiment was laid out using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. As experimental sample units, two (2) of the middle-most plants in each polybag were cut off and tagged. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze data on vegetative growth factors at a 5% probability level and the treatment means were divided using the least significant difference (LSD 0.05). The result of the experiment revealed that all of the pumpkin accessions performed similarly in terms of the amount of time it took for them to emerge after sowing, their percentage of emergence, and their overall vegetative growth. None of the accessions were statistically different with respect to their emergence and growth parameters. However, the growth parameter evaluations were dominated, on average, by pumpkin accession from Nsukka (I and II) pumpkins. In addition, the Aku II pumpkin had the shortest days-to-emergence (3.33 days) and the greatest mean percentage of emergence (100%). Conversely, Aku I pumpkin consistently performed the lowest when it came to the factors that were looked at. For a comprehensive characterization of C. maxima, additional research at the molecular and genomic levels is advised including a greater number of accessions.

Effect of sowing methods and varieties on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Dang, Nepal

Akriti Adhikari — 2024-03-25

In this study conducted in Gadhawa Rural Municipality, Dang district, from November 2021 to April 2022, the impact of two sowing methods (Line sowing and broadcasting) and four varieties (Bijaya, Gautam, Aditya, and Borlaug 2020) on wheat was investigated. We aimed to identify the best sowing method and variety using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The study focused on various growth and yield parameters, including plant height, tiller number, grain per spike, effective tillers per square meter, thousand grain weight, grain yield per hectare, and biological yield per hectare. Line sowing was found to have the highest impact on biometrical as well as yield attributing characters. More height (111.51 cm), number of tillers (3.80), grain/spike (57.02), and grain yield (3.85 ton/ha) were obtained in line sowing. There was a significant difference observed among the varieties for all the traits
except tiller number and biological yield. Borlaug 2020 was found to be superior for performance based on yield attributing traits which have grain/spike, effective tiller/m², biological yield, and grain yield of 62.88, 177.15, 6.60 ton/ha, and 3.95 ton/ha respectively. From the interaction effects, variety Borlaug 2020 and line sowing method were found to be superior for cultivation. The study further demonstrates that farmers of Dang can combine Borlaug 2020 with line-sowing methods to obtain promising results.

Evaluation of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica L.) varieties with respect to growth and yield in Chitwan, Nepal

Pratima Bagale — 2024-03-25

A field experiment was carried out during October, 2021 to March, 2022 with an objective to evaluate growth and yield parameters of broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica L.) varieties in the Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications. The treatments were six broccoli varieties viz. two open pollinated (Calabrese and Green Sprouting) and four hybrid varieties (Centauro, Century, Delight, Everest Green). Data were collected for biometrical, phonological, yield and yield attributing characteristics. Results revealed significance for growth and yield parameters. Calabrese had the tallest plant (100.60 cm), the highest leaf number per plant (15.75), the longest leaf (73.90 cm), higher canopy diameter (101.75 cm) and earliness in head initiation (54.50 days) as well as head maturity (60.25 days). Highest head diameter (30.13 cm) and economic yield (22.52 mt/ha) was observed in Century. Thus, Century was found more profitable for commercial production in the environment conditions of Chitwan, Nepal.

Evaluation of the degrading potentials of plasmid and non–plasmid borne soil bacterial strains on bonny light crude oil

Marcel Chikelue Ifediegwu — 2024-03-25

This study was undertaken to evaluate the degrading potentials of plasmid and non–plasmid borne soil bacterial strains on Bonny light crude oil. Enrichment technique, turbidometric test, plasmid curing test as well as gas chromatographic flame ionization detection technique was adopted for isolating and evaluating the oil degrading capabilities of the selected bacterial strains. The preliminary physicochemical results revealed that pH was recorded slightly neutral, higher conductivity (0.41 to 0.44 μS/cm), higher organic carbon (2.32 to 4.34 %) but lower nitrogen and phosphorus contents (0.27 % and 10.11 kg) as well as lower water holding capacity was noted, respectively. The results indicated that 22 out of the 60 isolated bacterial strains had high crude oil degrading potentials (A600nm > 0.3). The result further indicated that bacterial strains belong to various species which are Bacillus cereus C12, Pseudomonas aeruginosa KAVK01, Bacillus licheniformis 126, Ochrobacterium intermedium E85b, Bacillus subtillis SDDlas, Bacillus subtillis LK4.5, Enterobacter cloacae GEBRI III and Bacillus cereus So24. Plasmid borne P. aeruginosa strain KAVK01 was the best degrader with 88 % remediation efficiency within the period while the plasmid cured P. aeruginosa strain KAVK01 had 65 % degradation with the order of n – alkane hydrocarbon degradation: (n-C8 - n-C17) > (n-C18 - n-C25) > (n-C26 - n-C32). The data obtained from the current study could help in the selection of bacterial species, most especially plasmid borne bacteria that can be employed in the restoration of oil contaminated soil ecosystem in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.

Effect of various mulching methods on growth and yield parameters of potato (Solanum tuberosum) varieties in Achham, Nepal

Sujan Ghimire

A field experiment was conducted from February to June 2022 at Thulasen of Mangalsen Municipality-Achham, Nepal to determine the suitability of various mulching materials on the growth and yield of different potato varieties. Two major varieties i.e. Khumal Seto and Cardinal grown with four types of mulching material (Black plastic mulch, Silver plastic mulch, Organic mulch, and Control) were set up in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The vegetative parameters evaluated were germination percentage at 20 and 30 DAP, plant height, aerial stem number, plant spread, and stem girth at 60, 75, and 90 days after planting (DAP). In contrast, the reproductive parameters including tuber number/m², yield(kg/m²) and graded tuber (number/ m²) for three grades were taken after potato harvest. Data entry and analysis were done in MS- Excel and R-studio software respectively. Findings revealed that at a 5% level of significance, a significant difference was found in the interaction effect of variety and mulching material respective to germination, height, average yield, and tuber numbers for (>100gm). Khumal Seto in black plastic mulch was found significantly superior for germination percentage at 30 DAP (93.33%), plant height (40.87m), and yield parameters like average tuber yield (5.10kg/m²) and tuber number above 100gm (12.67). In addition, the Khumal seto variety had greater stem girth (3.03cm) and tuber yield while the Cardinal variety had a maximum number of stems (11.17). The highest plant spread (48.13cm) and stem girth (3.10cm) were observed in black plastic mulch and the lowest was in control in 60, 75, and 90 DAP. Khumal Seto in black plastic mulch was found to be the most effective treatment for increasing the overall production of potatoes.

Efficacy of Home-made and Commercial Trapping Baits for the Management of Fruit Flies in Mandarin Orchards

Prashanna Acharya

The current study was done to appraise the efficacy of different homemade and commercial baits in fruit fly monitoring and examine the lure that attracts fruit flies in citrus orchards at Syangja, Nepal from Feb to June 2022. The two commercial pheromones used in the experiment were Cue Lure 40 ml and Methyl Eugenol 40 ml and the other five home-based baits were Apple Cider Vinegar, Yeast fermented sugar, Mint lure, Local Brewery Liquor and Banana Lure. Each lure was added to a cotton wick and soaked with Malathion 10ml which was adjusted inside the Lynfield traps. All the traps were placed at a 10m distance in the orchard. The lures were replaced every 15 days and the traps in 50 days intervals. In this experiment, different species of fruit flies were caught; Z. tau, Z. cucurbitae, B. dorsalis, B. dorsalis complex, B.minax, and few counts of Z. scutellaris &B. zonata. The commercial baits used in this experiment in both trappings were able to attract the highest number of fruit flies; all of which were male. Cue lure showed the best result for Zeugodacus species with the highest trapping (68%) of Zeugodacus males while Methyl eugenol trapped a high percentage for Bactrocera species with Bactrocera dorsalis males (63%). Among the homemade baits, ACV trapping was high (16.1%) for male species of Zeugodacus tau, and PH (yeast lure) for Bactrocera minax male species (59%). Moreover, Banana lure was found effective for Bactrocera dorsalis male and ACV for Bactrocera zonata male and female species. ACV and PH can be added as recommended homemade bait in trapping the fruit fly species. In comparing the males and females of Zeugodacus species, cue lure had the better result for trapping males and methyl eugenol for females of Zeugodacus tau sp. Methyl eugenol lure also showed efficient capture for males of Bactrocera dorsalis while PH for Bactrocera minax females. Females of both Zeugodacus and Bactrocera species were less trapped in the lures in comparison.

Effect of various mulching methods on growth and yield parameters of potato (Solanum tuberosum) varieties in Achham, Nepal

Sujan Ghimire

An Investigation into the performance of rice threshing drums in the southwestern region of Bangladesh

Anamica Chowdhury Keya

Threshing is one of the most important post-harvest operations for grains. Along with the traditional threshing, mechanical threshing such as pedal threshing, open drum power threshing and close drum power threshing are being used in Bangladesh. In this study locally developed rice threshing drum in Khulna was evaluated to determine its performance indices in terms of threshing efficiency, output capacity, throughput capacity, threshing capacity and grain to straw ratio. The variables used were two levels of moisture content (14% referred as dry condition and 23% referred as wet condition), three engine horsepower (25hp, 20hp and 16hp) and four different cutting height of paddy (25-30 cm, 30-35 cm, 35-40 cm and 40-45 cm). The values for threshing efficiency, output capacity, throughput capacity, threshing capacity and grain to straw ratio in dry condition ranges from 97.83 – 98.83%, 1700-2373 kg/hr, 27.75 -36.46 kg/hr, 930 – 1436 kg/hr and 1.21-1.54 respectively. The values for threshing efficiency, output capacity, throughput capacity and threshing capacity in wet condition ranges from 96.15 – 97.79%, 1168-2167 kg/hr, 41.64 -49.99 kg/hr, 622 – 1280 kg/hr and 1.14-1.45 respectively. Results showed that moisture content, engine horsepower and cutting height of paddy significantly affected threshing efficiency, output capacity, throughput capacity, threshing capacity and grain to straw ratio in dry condition and wet condition.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS AND PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY OF GINGER IN NEPAL

Bijaya Dangi

Nepal is the fourth largest producer of ginger in the whole world. It has been part of hilly farms from the ancestral period. With the traditional knowledge and favorable soil and climate, Nepal is the possible hub of organic ginger of world. Along with the tag of being 16^th largest exporter of ginger in the world, India being largest importer of Nepalese ginger also comes together. In Nepal, Illam is the largest producer of ginger followed by Salyan. Ginger is also the largest produced spice in Nepal. The present potential yield of ginger in Nepal is 24.5 ton/ha but the production is low with highly unstable market demand and price. Through value chain analysis in various papers, producer, collector/wholesaler, retailer and exporter are considered main actors in ginger market in Nepal. Ginger are sold in various forms to different part of the world, but the most profitable form is considered sutho. Even though farmers share in market price is around 50%, production cost of ginger is still higher than income. In Nepal, Kalimati is the biggest market for fresh ginger. Beside that other markets are scattered in various districts of terai region. Ginger is exported through three ports all over the world; Indian Port, Bangladesh Port and China Port. Dabur Nepal, Gorkha Ayurved, Singh Durbar Vaidyakhana, Male International, and Coffee Plantec are some big ginger consumer of Nepal but the traditionally prepared ‘sutho’ or dried ginger couldn’t even match the quality required by Dabur Nepal. Situation like this is mainly due to lack of storage and processing facilities, lack of laboratories for quality check and lack of scientific and technical advancement in the production methods. Overall, this article shows the status of ginger production and its marketing in Nepal.

INFLUENCE OF SEED PRIMING IN THE GERMINATION AND YIELD PERFORMANCES OF COMMON BUCKWHEAT

Dipika Bhusal

The study, conducted from November 2019 to March 2020 at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science in Rupandehi, Nepal, aimed to evaluate the effects of seed priming techniques on common buckwheat. The experiment comprised eleven treatments with three replications each. Germination parameters were analyzed in the laboratory using a Complete Block Design, while growth and yield parameters were assessed in the field using a Randomized Complete Block Design. The results indicated significant improvements in all germination and yield parameters of buckwheat due to seed priming. Notably, the 48-hour hydropriming treatment exhibited the highest performance, yielding a germination percentage of 87.167%, a speed of germination of 66.62, a vigor index of 52.78, a grain yield of 1518.988 kgha-1, a test weight of 19.533 grams, and a harvest index of 0.405. These findings suggest that priming seeds with water for 48 hours can effectively enhance the germination, growth, and yield attributes of common buckwheat.

Comparative analysis of knowledge and management practices of insect pests of maize among IPM adopters and non-adopters in Sindhupalchok, Nepal

Bipin Bastakoti — 2024-03-25

Integrated pest management (IPM) is a decision-based approach that involves optimizing the pest population below the economic threshold by the coordinated use of multiple tactics in an economically and environmentally sound manner. The adoption of IPM in farming practices prevents long-term pest damage by combining biological control, modification of cultural practices, habitual manipulation, and use of resistant varieties. In Nepal, mostly in hilly regions, haphazard chemical pesticide application has inevitable effects on human health, the environment, and the ecosystem. The haphazard chemical pesticide application in Sindhupalchok, Nepal originated mostly due to a knowledge gap in the identification of the stages of the lifecycle of pests, and the distinction between beneficial and harmful insects. To compare the effectiveness of management practices between IPM adopters and non-adopters this study was framed for six months in Sangachokgadi municipality, Sindhupalchok, Nepal. The knowledge gap among the maize growers in Sindhupalchok was assessed using both primary and secondary data collection methods. For primary data collection a comprehensive and structured questionnaire, face-to-face interview, phone call interview, and Key Informant Interview was conducted. Similarly, secondary data was collected from various articles and publications from Maize Zone, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC), and National Maize Research Program (NMRP). The collected data were then analyzed (descriptive statistics, chi-square test, and indexing) by using computer software packages i.e., Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26, and Microsoft Excel 2010. The analyzed data revealed maize growers adopting IPM practices for crop management are known to have significantly better knowledge of the life cycle of pests, were able to distinguish between beneficial and harmful insects, and had knowledge of appropriate fertilizer doses. Further, the findings revealed IPM adopters had better knowledge of chemical pesticide handling which could minimize the chemical hazards among the farmers.

Evaluation of Heat Stress Tolerance in Spring Wheat (Triticum aestivum l.) Genotypes Using Stress Tolerance Indices

Rashmi Poudel

Wheat requires a temperature range of 12-22°C during its growth phases, particularly during blooming and grain filling, since moisture stress affects yield component, number of viable spikes per unit area, and grain amount per spike. The primary goal of this study is to assess the resilience of Wheat genotypes to drought stress in the late season and to identify tolerant genotypes. Twenty wheat genotypes were tested for heat stress tolerance in Rupandehi district using an alpha lattice design with two replications under non-stress (optimum time) and stress (late shown) conditions. Three bhairhawa lines (BL), fifteen Nepal lines (NL), and two commercial lines Gautam and Bhrikuti were tested. Heat accelerates wheat development because the crop must complete its life cycle rapidly owing to late-season high temperatures. This affects grain output by decreasing the time required for grain filling and development, resulting in a 19.17% loss in grain yield in drought circumstances when compared to normal conditions. Based on wheat grain yield, eight selection indices for stress tolerance were calculated: mean productivity (MP), geometric mean productivity (GMP), tolerance indices (TOL), stress susceptible indices (SSI), stress tolerance indices (STI), drought index (DI), yield index (YI), and yield stability indices (YSI). The indices STI, MP, GMP, and YI showed a positive connection in both stressed and non-stressed conditions, whereas YSI, SSI, and TOL showed a negative correlation in both stressed and non-stressed conditions. According to MP, GMP and STI genotypes NL 1384, NL 1413 and NL 1420 are the tolerant genotype.

SEEDLING CHARACTERIZATION OF SPRING WHEAT LANDRACES UNDER INCREASED SALINITY

Pawan Chapagaee

This study aimed to investigate the performance of wheat landraces under salt stress conditions. This research was conducted in 2024 at the laboratory of Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College to investigate the effect of NaCl-induced salinity on germination and early seedling stages of different wheat landraces. The study followed a two-factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. Four different concentrations of NaCl (0mM, 25mM, 50mM, 75mM) and five landraces (Bhartale, Jhuse, Rato gahun, Mudule, Aadhikhole) were used for investigation during the germination and early seedling stages of wheat landraces. The highest germination percentage (97.25%)) and seed vigor index (20.27) were observed in Mudule, whereas the lowest germination percentage (60.50%) and seed vigor index (10.14) were observed in Rato gahun. Rato gahun had the highest mean germination time (5.99 days), and Mudule had the lowest mean germination time (4.82 days). The maximum fresh weight (0.12 g) and dry weight (0.042 g) were recorded by Aadhikhole and Jhuse and minimum fresh weight (0.10 g) and dry weight (0.032 g) were observed in Mudule. The maximum shoot and root lengths were observed in Bhartale (3.05 cm) and Jhuse (3.54 cm), whereas the minimum shoot length (2.07 cm) and root length (2.41 cm) were observed in Rato gahun. It was concluded that landraces go through salt stress and under stress. Mudule shows that it can tolerate salinity compared to other landraces during germination and early seedling stages.

EFFECT OF ORGANIC FERTILISERS FROM COMPOSTING AND METHANISATION OF GREEN WASTE ON THE AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF SWEET POTATOES IN BINI-DANG (NGAOUNDÉRÉ-CAMEROON)

AHMED DAVY ALI

Ipomoea batatas L. (sweet potato) is one of the most important root and tuber plants in sub-Saharan Africa, with both domestic and industrial uses. Substituting sweet potato flour for some of the wheat flour used in pastries and bakery products would help to reduce wheat imports into Cameroon and, consequently, the outflow of foreign currency. The alternative of amending the ferralitic soils of Ngaoundéré (Cameroon) with organic fertilisers is now proving to be a major solution for increasing yields and improving the nutritional value of crops. In the present study, the influence of organic fertilisers derived from composting and methanisation on two sweet potato varieties (Marimar and Numéro I or Chineese) was assessed from an agronomic point of view. A two-factor block design with 12 treatments (06 treatments per variety) was used: a negative control (T-) receiving no fertiliser, a positive control (22 g NPK, T+), 500 ml eluate (T1), 500 g digestate (T2), 500 g compost (T3) and 500 g digestate-compost mixture (T4). Fertilisers were applied 21 days after cuttings. The physico-chemical properties of the study site soil and fertilisers, growth parameters and tuber yields were evaluated using experimental methods. The results show that the soil at the study site is poor in major nutrients and organic matter for optimum sweet potato production, while the eluate is richer in nutrients than the digestate and compost. Overall, the compost-digestate mixture significantly (p˂0.05) improved sweetpotato productivity compared with eluate, digestate and compost. Tuber yields of plants amended with the compost-digestate mixture were 2.65, 2.00, 1.85, 1.27 and 1.47 times higher, respectively, than those of plants in the negative control, positive control, eluate-amended, digestate-amended and compost-amended. Producing and using the compost-digestate mixture for sweet potato cultivation will help to improve tuber yields and the management of waste from tuber processing, as well as contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Ms Review on Effect, mechanism and management methods of drought stress in wheat

Smirti Sharma

Wheat is considered as limiting factor for crop productivity and food security. Morphological, physiological and biochemical phenomena are affected by water unavailability in soil. Morphological changes like seedling length, primary roots length, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, shoot dry weight, germination rate occur during drought condition in soil. Changes in physiological phenomena like cell growth pattern, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate , evapotranspiration rate , membranous stability ,Relative water content occurs by water scarcity in soil . Bio chemical changes in Proline content , Anti-oxidant enzymes defence system ,osmotic adjustment , Abscisic acid production ,Lipid peroxidation occurs at water deficient period in wheat .Such changes are recovered by wheat crop in some extent through different 4 mechanism of drought tolerance i.e. Escape, avoidance , recovery , are present in wheat crop are studied in this review. Drought-tolerant wheat cultivars should be developed using modern approaches such as physiological trait-based breeding, molecular breeding, marker-assisted backcrossing, genome editing, transcriptase factors.

PERFROMANCE EVALUATION OF ADVANCED DURUM WHEAT GENOTYPES UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITION AT BHAIRAHAWA, NEPAL

A field trial was carried out at the National Wheat Research Program (NWRP) in Bhairahawa, Nepal in 2022 to investigate elite durum wheat genotypes and key traits contributing to yield. The experiment was performed in an alpha lattice design with two replications. Thirty distinct durum wheat genotypes were assessed, focusing on fourteen quantitative traits including days to booting, days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, spike length, peduncle length, number of tillers per square meter, number of spikes per square meter, number of grains per spike, grain weight per spike, thousand kernel weight, grain yield, biomass yield, chlorophyll content. The studied genotypes were grown under irrigated condition. Genotype NL1779 attained the highest grain yield of 3828 kg/ha, followed by NL1769 (3784 kg/ha), NL1772 (3726 kg/ha), NL1789 (3640 kg/ha) and NL1784 (3570 kg/ha). Principal components analysis revealed that eight traits were the major loadings on the first two principal components that describe 53.4% of the total morphological variance at irrigated condition. Cluster analysis grouped the different genotypes into four clusters, with each cluster showing variation in performance for different traits under irrigated conditions. Cluster III is characterized by genotypes exhibiting the highest grain yield, biomass yield, spike length, number of grains per spike, and number of spikes per square meter. Notably, the high-yielding genotypes NL1779, NL1769, NL1772, NL1789, NL1784, and NL1773 identified within this cluster could serve as potential candidates for inclusion in the national breeding program. Additionally, these genotypes may be considered for recommendation in irrigated areas, pending further evaluation to validate their performance and adaptability. Furthermore, the presence of significant genetic variability among the evaluated durum wheat genotypes suggests an opportunity for improvement of grain yield through using these genotypes in national breeding program.

Effect of boron and molybdenum on growth and yield attributes of cauliflower (Brassica oleraceae Var. Botrytis L) at Salyan, Nepal

Niharika Chaudhary — 2024-03-25

A research study was conducted to investigate the impact of varying levels of boron and molybdenum on the growth and yield parameters of the Silvercup-60 variety of cauliflower in the fields of Luham, Salyan during the winter season of 2022. The experiment comprised seven treatments arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Each replication included seven treatments denoted as follows: T1 (Control), T2 (Borax @10 kg/ha), T3 (Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha), T4 (Borax @10 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha), T5 (Borax @10 kg + Ammonium Molybdate @2 kg/ha), T6 (Borax @20 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha), and T7 (Borax @20 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @2 kg/ha), representing different doses of boron and molybdenum. Various growth parameters, including plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, and leaf width, were recorded at intervals of 15, 30, 45, and 55 days post-transplanting, along with yield parameters such as curd diameter and curd yield. Notably, treatment T4 (Borax @10 kg/ha + Ammonium Molybdate @1 kg/ha) exhibited significantly superior curd diameter (19.03 cm) and yield (16.41 mt/ha) compared to the control group, while the control group yielded the lowest values for these parameters. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the application of boron and molybdenum at a rate of 10 kg/ha of Borax and 1 kg/ha of Ammonium Molybdenum is recommended for cauliflower cultivation in the Salyan district, as it leads to enhanced growth and yield of cauliflower crops.

Heavy metal concentrations in water from Bakkhali River estuary, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Sharmin Jahan — 2024-03-25

Heavy metals contamination of water is considered as severe global issues for developing countries like Bangladesh. Because heavy metal pollution ruined aquatic ecosystem especially fish diversity which contribute important share on economy of a country. The present study designed to investigate the contamination level of lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in surface water of Bakkhali river estuary in Bangladesh. The decreasing order of metals concentration was Cu>Zn >Cr>Pb>Cd with the mean value of 2.6> 0.825 > 0.355 > 0.056 >0.003 mg/L, respectively. The results showed a significant seasonal variation of heavy metals concentration in water. Higher contamination occurred during post monsoon, while lower during the monsoon season. Among the all studied heavy metals Cu concentration was higher (2.6 mg/L) and lower (0.003 mg/L) concentration was Cd. Metal concentrations in water samples exceeded the safe limits of drinking water which indicated that the water from this estuarine river is not fully safe for using/drinking. The study area was not entirely polluted in terms of all metal concentrations. But level of metal concentration in polluted sites supposed risk to ecological health. The findings of present study recommended that continuous monitoring of water should be aimed to evaluate the risk which could help to maintain healthy coastal ecosystem and improve management strategy of this estuarine river.

An ideal model of plant-vector-phytopathogen interaction and the management of the vector

Bipin Bastakoti — 2024-03-25

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a vital cereal crop worldwide, crucial for global food security and various industrial applications. Its cultivation faces significant challenges from a diverse array of insect pests and pathogens, notably including the maize leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis) and the maize dwarf mosaic virus (MDMV). This paper explores the intricate interactions among maize, its insect vectors, and MDMV, emphasizing the urgent need for a deeper understanding to develop sustainable management strategies. Maize exhibits vast genetic diversity and is cultivated across diverse environments, making it susceptible to a range of pests and diseases. The transmission of MDMV by aphids, particularly R. maidis, poses a significant threat to maize production globally. The complex tripartite interaction between maize, aphids, and MDMV serves as an ideal model system for studying plant-insect-phytopathogen interactions. Understanding the components of this interaction is critical for developing effective management strategies. Despite significant research efforts, there remains a knowledge gap in the molecular mechanisms underlying vector-borne diseases. Further research on the molecular level is essential for identifying specific targets for genetic pest control and disrupting pathogen transmission by insect vectors. Developing countries, in particular, require intensified research efforts to address the growing challenges to food security and agricultural sustainability. Thus, unraveling the complexities of plant-insect-phytopathogen interactions is essential for devising effective strategies to combat vector-borne diseases and sustain global food systems. Enhanced scientific research, especially in developing regions, is crucial for addressing these challenges and ensuring food security for future generations.

Effect of different nitrogen levels on yield and yield attributes of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Saraswata Pokhrel — 2024-03-25

Farmers in Lamjung have been unable to maximize okra performance and yield due to being unaware of the ideal fertilizer dosage. A field experiment was carried out at Sundarbazar-7, Lamjung during the period from March to June 2023 to understand the optimal N level to enhance the growth and yield of okra. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used to set up the experiment with the seven treatments viz. control, 40, 55, 70, 85, 100, and 115 kg N ha^-1 each had three replications. A hybrid variety Arka Anamika mostly used by farmers in Lamjung was used. Recorded data on yield and yield contributing parameters were subjected to statistical analysis and results revealed a significant effect of the treatments on the yield and yield attributes of okra. Plants treated with T6(100 kg N ha^-1) had the highest number of fruits per plant (13.10), fruit length (15.84cm), weight of a single pod (15.84 g), and total fruit yield of 14.74 t ha^-1. The lowest number of fruits per plant (7.93), fruit length (9.29 cm), single fruit weight (9.29 g), and yield (8.12 t ha-1) were recorded from the control treatment T1 (0 kg N ha^-1). Meanwhile, the impact of treatment T6 (100 kg N ha^-1) was found to be effective compared to other treatments under study. Based on these findings, the experiment suggests okra farmers to use 100 kg N ha^-1 to maximize okra performance and yield considering the soil health.

Length frequency distribution, length-weight relationship and condition factors of Hilsa Shad, Tenualosa ilisha from Bangladesh

Mohammad Ashraful Alam — 2024-03-25

Hilsa shad, Tenualosa ilisha, a cherished and economically vital species, thrives in the waters of Bangladesh. It holds a prominent role in bolstering the nation's food security and influencing the ecological dynamics of aquatic ecosystems along the Bangladeshi coast and estuaries. This comprehensive study encompasses data collection efforts on the Hilsa fish species, conducted at 12 commercial landing centers throughout Bangladesh over the course of 2020. The study describes some fundamental components, including length frequency distribution, length-weight relationships, and condition factors, offers invaluable insights into the growth, health, and overall well-being of Hilsa population. Notably, the length-weight relationship analysis revealed size ranges of 11.5-59.2 cm and 11.0-49.0 cm total length for females and males, respectively. The observed b values indicated positive allometric growth (b > 3.00) for female population and negative allometric growth (b < 3.00) for male population in the length-weight relationship. Among the condition factors scrutinized, Fulton's condition factor emerged as the most reliable indicator for assessing the health and condition of the Hilsa population. This study offers valuable insights for biologists, aiding in the assessment of the species' status and providing essential information for fishery biologists and conservation biologists. Such insights are instrumental in the management and ultimate conservation of this iconic species in Bangladesh.

A Systematic Review on the Dynamics of Urban Expansion Impacts on Inner-City Slums, Crime Spreading Out, and the Mitigation Mechanisms in Ethiopia

A growing portion of the global population (51.1%) lives in cities. The percentage of people living in cities increased to 55.7% by 2019. In general, it is higher in developed countries (80.5%) than in developing countries (51.1%). Ethiopia is experiencing a rapid increase in its urban population, which totals about 3 million people. Of these, 64.3 percent reside in inadequate neighborhoods with unsatisfactory infrastructure. Urban expansions that are characterized by a high proportion of slums, a lack of infrastructure, a high degree of inequality, and widespread participation of societies in informal sectors have been linked to an increase in crime and the eviction of the urban poorest. Urbanization in Ethiopia is a contributing factor to slum living, crime, drug abuse, environmental pollution, unused farmland, and worsened income inequality between urban dwellers. Setting up or improving the fundamental infrastructure, removing or reducing environmental risks, and providing incentives for community management and upkeep are some of the mechanisms used to counteract the effects of urbanization.

Review on Effect, mechanism and management methods of drought resistance in wheat

Smirti Sharma

Wheat is considered as limiting factor for crop productivity and food security .Morphological ,physiological and bio chemical phenomena are affected by water unavailability in soil. Morphological changes like seedling length, primary roots length, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, shoot dry weight, germination rate occur during drought condition in soil . Changes in physiological phenomena like cell growth pattern, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate , evapotranspiration rate , membranous stability ,Relative water content occurs by water scarcity in soil . Bio chemical changes in Proline content , Anti oxidant enzymes defence system ,osmotic adjustment , Abscisic acid production ,Lipid peroxidation occurs at water deficient period in wheat .Despite of these all causes,4 mechanism of drought tolerance .i.e. Escape, avoidance , recovery , tolerance are present in wheat crop are studied in this review. Drought-tolerant wheat cultivars should be developed using modern approaches such as physiological trait-based breeding, molecular breeding, marker-assisted backcrossing, genome editing ,transcriptase factors.

An overview on the impact of genetically engineered organisms on crop yield and safety

Lokendra Nath Yogi — 2024-03-25

Genetically Engineered Organisms (GEOs) have ushered in a new era in agriculture, revolutionizing crop yield and safety through techniques like transgenic modification and genome editing. This review delves into the profound impact of GEOs on agricultural landscapes, elucidating their role in enhancing crop traits, and bolstering resistance to pests, diseases, and adverse environmental conditions, thereby ensuring food security for a burgeoning global population. However, amidst these advancements, persistent concerns regarding GEOs' environmental and health ramifications persist. The review critically examines potential unintended consequences within ecosystems and addresses human health implications, particularly allergenicity. Furthermore, it scrutinizes existing regulatory frameworks and the pivotal role of public perception in shaping the trajectory of GEOs. While emphasizing the intricate interplay between genetic engineering and crop production, the review advocates for continued research and informed decision-making to harness the benefits of GEOs while mitigating potential risks. Additionally, it underscores the significance of enhancing science communication and regulatory measures to address ethical concerns and combat misinformation. With advancements in precision gene-integration technologies and emerging research in biofortification and stress tolerance, GEOs are promising to enhance commercial agriculture's productivity and profitability. However, achieving this potential necessitates proactive measures such as improved regulation, risk mitigation strategies, and enhanced communication with stakeholders to ensure GEOs' responsible and sustainable integration into agricultural systems.

Effect of various biochar on selected soil properties and agronomical parameters of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) at Rupandehi, Nepal

Janma Jaya Gairhe — 2024-03-25

Biochar is rich in carbon and obtained by carbonization of biomass heated at 300-1000°C under limited oxygen which improves the soil properties and yield of various crops. This study aimed to determine the changes in soil properties and agronomical characteristics of okra by biochar prepared from different feedstock. The research was conducted in randomized blocks and replicated thrice, with treatments; control, wood ash (WA), rice husk biochar (RHB), bamboo biochar (BB), Ashoka leaves biochar (ALB), coconut husk biochar (CHB), and sawdust biochar (SB), applied at 18 t/ha. Biochar-incorporated soil and the biochar were analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, nitrogen, P₂O₅, K₂O, and organic matter, and the soil for bulk density, particle density, and porosity. Agronomical parameters like plant height, fruit size, and yield were also recorded. The biochar incorporation modified the soil's chemical properties and significantly decreased bulk and particle density. The highest reduction of 10.9% in bulk density (1.22gm/cm³), and 4.4% in particle density (2.39gm/cm³) were observed in ALB and SB incorporated soil respectively. ALB (50%) followed by BB (49%) showed a significant increase in soil porosity compared to the control (45.18%). BB (15.7cm) significantly increased the fruit size compared to the control (14.06cm) followed by ALB (15.5cm). ALB (8.16t/ha) significantly increased the yield of okra relative to control (7.82t/ha). The findings suggest the use of ALB and BB to improve soil properties and yield in the long run.

Gravel and River sand mining activities in Maroua (Far-North Region, Cameroon): Environmental and Socioeconomic aspects

Bertin Pagna Kagonbé — 2024-03-25

Sand and gravel mining are amongst the main factors that induces significant impacts on environment, as a result of growing need for building materials and as a source of income for rural communities. This study was conducted to assess the socio-economic and environmental effects of these activities in Maroua, Cameroon. Its objectives include a description of artisanal mining method and identification of its socio-economic and environmental impacts. The study was conducted in a multidisciplinary approach. During the fieldwork, data were collected using questionnaires and focused group discussions were undertaken with those responsible for managing natural resources in the that area. The results reveal that sand mining activity alter river morphology at a faster rate than normal river process, where river reduction of the extraction areas is significantly larger. These activities were responsible for quick resource depletion and adversely affecting the environment and causing disturbances such as, ecological balance, soil degradation, pollution, infrastructure destruction, as well as conflict between miners and communities. Despite the negative impacts, mining activities generate income for all parties involved in the value chain, including the government. Accordingly, based on the research results, there are concerns about sustainable extraction practices by implementing strict rules and government policies.

Biofloc based farming of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in tanks under different stocking densities

Md. Humaun Kobir — 2024-03-25

This experiment was conducted to optimize the stocking density of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in biofloc based farming system in tanks for a period of 90 days from 23 December to 22 March 2022 in Mohanpur upazilla, Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. The experiment was conducted in 5000 L cemented tanks (5m³) under three different of stocking densities (T₁: 200 fishes/m³, T₂: 150 fishes/m³ and T₃: 100 fishes/m³) having three replicates each. The initial weight of fish was 11.50±0.35 g and fishes were fed (34% protein content) twice a day @ 5-3 % body weight. Among three treatments, a significantly higher (P<0.05) average daily gain (ADG) of 1.15±0.07 g with specific growth rate (SGR) of 2.44±0.09 % day^-1 were recorded in T₃ treatment but a significantly higher (P<0.05) average yield of 118907.70 and 114914.20 kg/ha/3 months were obtained in T₁ and T₂ treatment, respectively. Higher average net benefit of 1231671.90 BDT/ha/3 months and BCR of 0.12 were obtained in T₂ treatment which is significantly higher (p<0.05) than T₁ and T₃ treatment. By an economical assessment, if the sales price is influenced by the final body weight, the reduced average harvest weight in higher stocking densities could lead to low profitability. Therefore, it is concluded that the use of intermediate stocking density, around 150 fishes/m³, has higher profitability since it produces a large proportion of harvested fish that reach high body weights, and possible high selling prices, combined with desirable biomass.

Farmer’s perception on Chinese citrus fruit fly (CFFs) and its management in Solukhumbu and Sindhuli district of Nepal

Sujan Limbu — 2024-03-25

This study conducted between January and June 2022 aimed to assess the impact of precipitation on Bactrocera minax, a citrus pest, in Nepal's Solukhumbu and Sindhuli districts. Primary data were gathered from 84 respondents using pre-tested interview schedules, focal group discussions (FGD), and key informant interviews (KII), while secondary information was collected through literature review. The results highlighted the Chinese citrus fruit fly as a significant citrus pest causing fruit drop, particularly impacting Mandarin cultivation after sweet orange displacement. Farmers in Sindhuli exhibited greater motivation and trust in citrus cultivation compared to those in Solukhumbu. Notably, the fruit drop was lower (4.33%) in Sindhuli where the Area-wide Management Program (AWCP) utilizing protein bait and field sanitation was applied, in contrast to Solukhumbu where fruit drop was higher (35.5%), suggesting the effectiveness of AWCP. The PMAMP Sindhuli super zone played a direct role in the study, with respondents in Sindhuli demonstrating higher awareness of Chinese citrus fruit flies and AWCP. Technical and financial support for citrus cultivation was also more prevalent in Sindhuli. Furthermore, the study found that the majority of respondents perceived protein bait (AWCP) as the most straightforward, effective, and expensive management method, despite its limited application in Solukhumbu. This study underscores the importance of AWCP in mitigating citrus pest infestation, particularly in areas with high precipitation, and emphasizes the need for broader adoption of effective management strategies in citrus cultivation regions.

Management of Wheat Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp tritici) through Fungicides Spray Frequencies in Central Ethiopia

mitiku kebede

The stem rust disease caused by (Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) is the most striking among various wheat diseases that contributing to huge yield losses in Ethiopia. The effect of fungicide spray frequency on yield components of the bread wheat was studied under natural infection at Mareko and Dalocha during 2020 growing season. Two different fungicides: Nativo SC 300 (Trifloxystrobin 100g/l + Tebuconazole 200g/l) at 0.75l/ha and Tilt® 250EC (propiconazole) at 0.5l/ha were field evaluated each with three spraying frequencies in randomized complete block design with three replications. Unsprayed controls were also included to allow maximum rust severity for comparison. The disease resulted in relative grain yield losses of up to 53.5% at Dalocha and 41.9% at Mareko on unsprayed plots. However, terminal rust severity, average coefficient infection and AUDPC values were significantly (P<0.05) reduced due to frequent fungicides application. Application of both fungicide-treated plots showed a significant increase (p ≤ 0.05) in thousand kernel weight and grain yield compared to untreated check plots. Moreover, Nativo SC 300 provides the highest grain yield increment and is effective in decreasing stem rust across all locations. Significant negative correlation was observed between TRS, ACI and AUDPC to that of the grain yield, kernel per spike and TKW with a correlation coefficient ranging from, r=-0.85** to r=-0.33**. Cost benefit analysis revealed that the combined use of Nativo SC 300 three times at ten day interval provides the highest net benefit and it is the best management strategy to improve the grain yield.

Production economics and marketing of Himalayan Yew in Mahankal rural municipality of Lalitpur District, Nepal

Pratima Timalsina — 2024-03-25

This study delves into the dynamic landscape of Himalayan yew cultivation in the Mahankal Rural Municipality of Lalitpur district, offering a comprehensive analysis of the socio-demographic factors influencing growers' practices. By examining variables such as gender, age, education, landholding, income, ethnicity, access to irrigation facilities, and marketing strategies, we present a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved. Agriculture emerges as the cornerstone of respondents' income, with Himalayan yew cultivation consistently proving to be financially lucrative, yielding revenues and gross margins that significantly bolster local farmers' economic well-being. The calculated Benefit-Cost Ratio underscores the profitability of Himalayan yew cultivation in Mahankal, advocating for its sustained expansion. Despite favorable climatic conditions, challenges persist in marketing and production domains. Limited primary marketing channels signify untapped potential, necessitating initiatives to foster growth and enhance efficiency. Technical obstacles highlight the need for innovative solutions and technical support to bolster the sustainability of Himalayan yew cultivation. In conclusion, this research underscores the promising prospects and profitability of Himalayan yew cultivation while emphasizing the imperative to address existing challenges. Strategic interventions and collaborative efforts are essential to empower local farmers and ensure the enduring success of this valuable industry. This study serves as a clarion call for concerted action to propel Himalayan yew cultivation to new heights in Mahankal and beyond.

Evaluation of elite spring wheat genotypes for grain yield and other agronomic attributes in hills of Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal

Anjal Nainabasti — 2024-03-25

Selection and release of high yielding and disease resistant varieties is the cost effective and ecologically sound approach for increasing the production and productivity of agricultural crop in Nepal. Twenty-two advanced bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes including commercial check variety "Sorgadwari", newly released check variety "Khumal Shakti" and Local Check variety " Jhadde" were evaluated under irrigated conditions at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College (GAASC), Baitadi, Nepal during 2022/2023. This study was carried out for the identification of high yielding genotypes under irrigated condition in western hills. The experiment was conducted in Alpha lattice design with two replications. The highly significant difference (p<0.01) among the genotypes was found for most of the traits viz., days to heading, days to anthesis, days to maturity, plant height, spikes per square meter, number of grains per spike, grain weight per spike, flag leaf area, thousand kernel weight, biomass yield and grain yield and non-significant difference for spike length. The mean grain yield ranged from 1908 to 4146 kg/ha with grand mean of 2766 kg/ha. The highest grain yield was produced by genotype NL 1474 (4146 kg/ha) which was followed by NL 1475 (3994 kg/ha), NL1597 (3536 kg/ha) and NL 1590 (3070 kg/ha). The check variety Sorgadwari and Khumal Shakti produced 3480 and 3070 kg/ha respectively while the local check variety Jhadde produced 2655 kg/ha. Similarly, highest TKW was produced by NL 1487 (68.5 g) followed by BL 5148 (67.2 g) and WK 3730 (66.3 g). The correlation analysis revealed that grain yield showed highly significant positive correlation with biomass yield (0.90**) and number of grains per spike (0.6**), spikes per square meter (0.7**), plant height (0.5**) and non-significant positive correlation with spike length (0.21) and grain weight per spike (0.1) and non-significant negative correlation with days to heading (-0.2) and days to maturity (-0.2). Cluster analysis revealed that Cluster III consists of 4 genotypes namely NL 1474, NL 1475, NL 1597 and Sorgadwari. This cluster represent with highest grain yield, number of spikes per meter square, number of grains per spike and grain weight per spike. Among the tested genotypes, NL 1474, NL 1475, NL 1597 and NL 1590 were found superior for grain yield and yield-related traits in comparison to three checks and could be recommended for hills of Sudurpaschim province after further testing in multi-environment and in farmer's field.

A Review on YAK FARMING PRATICES IN NEPAL

Yak farming in Nepal plays a significant role in agrobiodiversity conservation, cultural traditions, and socioeconomic development in high mountain regions. However, yak populations are facing challenges due to closed borders, grazing restrictions, and the abandonment of traditional farming practices. This paper examines the recent status of yak farming, including the decrease in population and herd sizes. It also explores housing and grazing practices, emphasizing the need for improved management and commercialization of yak farming. The study highlights the importance of yak breeds such as Chauri, their productivity, and their adaptation to lower altitudes. With limited research conducted on yaks in Nepal, this paper calls for the integration of scientific methods and indigenous knowledge to strengthen yak breeding and feeding practices. The study concludes with recommendations, including awareness programs, access to veterinary services, the establishment of milk chilling centers, genetic improvement, and the establishment of yak research centers, to support the development of yak farming in Nepal.

Review on Effect of Drought and mechanism of drought resistance in wheat

Smirti Sharma

Wheat is considered as limiting factor for crop productivity and food security .Morphological ,physiological and bio chemical phenomena are affected by water unavailability in soil. Morphological changes like seedling length, primary roots length, seedling fresh weight, seedling dry weight, shoot dry weight, germination rate occur during drought condition in soil . Changes in physiological phenomena like cell growth pattern, chlorophyll content and photosynthetic rate , evapotranspiration rate , membranous stability ,Relative water content occurs by water scarcity in soil . Bio chemical changes in Proline content , Anti oxidant enzymes defence system ,osmotic adjustment ,Abscisic acid production ,Lipid peroxidation occurs at water deficient period in wheat .Despite of these all causes,4 mechanism of drought tolerance .i.e. Escape, avoidance , recovery , tolerance are present in wheat plant which are studied in this review.

Consumer preferences of fast-food items in Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Sabbir Ahamed — 2024-03-25

The goal of the current study was to ascertain Bangladeshi consumers' preferences for fast food items. Data from 80 respondents who were eating fast food in the Mymensingh region were gathered using a purposeful random sample; men made up 52.50 percent of the respondents. The study employed multiple linear regression analysis to determine the primary determinants influencing eating habits among customers. Additionally, descriptive statistics were utilized to determine the demographic characteristics such as age, education, income level etc. of the consumers. Furthermore, the utilization of Likert scale analysis assists in identifying the more favoured reasons why consumers go for fast food. The findings showed that most respondents were government employees with advanced degrees. Nearly 8.75 percent of customers spent more than Tk 2000 (18.22 $) on fast food every month. According to Likert scale research, 47.5% of consumers thought fast food was unhealthy. Consumers in the research region felt generally dissatisfied with fast food, as evidenced by their affirmative responses to seven out of the seventeen questions on the meal. In the Mymensingh District, explanatory factors such education, monthly family income, students, advertisements, and social pressure had the most impacts on the amount of fast food consumed. This research also looked at the critical elements at fast food restaurants and the relationship between customer satisfaction and restaurant service. The results of this study contribute significant knowledge to the literature on the food service sector and offer vital insights for the fast-food business in Bangladesh, indicating areas for development and customer preferences. It will offer insights for businesses to tailor their marketing strategies and menu offerings to align with consumer preferences and health concerns as well as highlights areas for improvement in fast-food establishments to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty because of fast food consumption is becoming more and more appealing these days.

A Growth and yield response of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostratus) on substrate composed from waste paper, faba bean straw, and cotton seed waste

Asefa keneni

This article report the growth and yield, response of oyster mushroom on substrate composed from waste paper, faba bean straw, cotton seed waste. The culture of the mushroom was grown on potato dextrose agar and the spawn was developed on yellow color sorghum grains. The different substrates were collected, mixed and sterilized and data collected were analyzed by using SPSS computer soft ware for window version 26.0. T1, T3 and T4 completed mycelia colonization on 15 days, while it took 31 days for T2. Fastest incubation to first harvest 21 days was recorded for T1, T3 and T4 while the slowest for T2, 42 days. T4 gave the highest fresh weight in the first harvest, 1140 g, and T6 gave the smallest 579g. Highest number of bunches 18 counted from T8 and the lowest number from T2, 4. Higher number of fruiting bodies counted for T8, 110 and fewer for T2, 55. Highest number of aborts was recorded for T8, 30 and least from T2, 18. Larger pilus diameter 18cm was measured from T6 and the smallest 6cm from T2. The highest total biomass and biological efficiency was measured from the T7, 2896g; 289% respectively while, the smallest total biomass and biological efficiency from T2 1307g, 113% respectively. The yield, yield-related parameter, total biomass, and biological efficiency of oyster mushrooms produced on Faba bean straw combined with waste paper and cotton seed waste were best and needed to be evaluated for oyster mushroom production on a pilot and large-scale basis

Role of credit on mustard production and food security in a selected area of Sirajganj District in Bangladesh

Mohammad Ataur Rahman — 2024-03-25

Credit is a driving force behind increased crop productivity, and food security is essential to the general advancement of humanity. The current study was carried out to analyze the socioeconomic profile of the respondents, examine the loan components, evaluate the effect of credit on mustard production, and find out how many calories each household member consumes on a per capita basis. A sample size of sixty respondents was selected randomly from Sirajganj district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through a field survey using a semi-structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, the multiple linear regression models, and the modified OECD scale were used to analyze the data. The study found that most of the respondents were in the active age group, and half of the respondents had a secondary level of education. About half of the respondents belonged to the middle-income group. Two-thirds of the respondents received a large loan. It was found that credit had a positive impact on mustard production. The poverty rate was much higher than the national average in the study area. Along with specialized banks, other financial institutions should extend agricultural loans to increase mustard production and food security for rural poor households in Bangladesh.

The "Enhancing Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) Growth and Yield: The Influence of Zinc and Boron"

Shiva Prasad Adhikari Maate

A field experiment to study, “Impact of Foliar Spray of Boron and Zinc on Growth Parameters and Yield of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) at Gokuleshwor, Baitadi” was conducted at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College from May 8 to August 27. The variety used in this experiment was ‘Arka Anamika’. The experiment was laid out Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications and 7 treatments. Data were collected from the sample plant of each plot. In this experiment applied treatments were control, 0.2%Zn, 0.2%B, 0.3%Zn, 0.3% B, 0.2%Zn+0.2%B and 0.3%Zn+0.3%B. Results revealed that application of different fertilizers significantly affects various parameters such as plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, number of branches, number of buds, number of fruits, length of fruits, girth of fruits and yield. Result obtain were maximum plant height, stem diameter, number of branches, number of buds, fruit length, number of fruits and yield recorded in T₇ which was statistically at par with T₆ whereas significantly lower found in T₁(control). Girth of fruits become non-significant by various level of foliar application of boron and zinc either separately or in combination. From this study, we can conclude that 0.3%Zn+0.3%B might be best in overall yield and yield parameters of okra.

Preharvest application of ethephon improved growth, maturity and quality of banana

Bishal Shrestha — 2024-03-25

Poor yield, non-uniform ripening, and delay in maturity are some serious issues faced by commercial banana growers in the country. This research was conducted in a commercial banana orchard of Chitwan from December 2021 to April 2022 in order to study the effect of different doses of ethephon on growth, maturity, and quality of banana. Five different doses of ethephon (200, 400, 600, 800, 1000 ppm) were sprayed on a banana bunch at 15^th days after shooting which were compared with the control (no ethephon treatment) in RCBD design. The maturity of the bunch was significantly hastened at a higher concentration of ethephon (above 600 ppm). Fruit length and fruit weight were also observed higher at 600 ppm (10.21 cm and 62.68 g) and 800 ppm (10.67 cm and 63.26 g) ethephon spray. The bunch treated with 600 ppm ethephon had the highest TSS (10.78^oB and 23.27^oB at 0 and 5 days of storage, respectively) and PPR (1.65). Considering quantitative and qualitative parameters, preharvest ethephon spray @600 ppm significantly improved growth, maturity, and quality of banana fruits.

Performance of Foliar Application of NAA and GA3 on Growth and Yield of Onion (Allium cepa L) Cultivar N-53

Paratikshya Khadka

A field experiment was carried out at the Horticultural Research Farm of Baba Farid Institute of Technology (BFIT), Dehradun, India during the Rabi season, 2021-2022 to evaluate the Performance of Foliar Application of NAA and GA₃on growth and yield of Onion (Allium cepaL) Cultivar N-53 and the significant differences in results had been observed. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 9 treatments and 3 replications of each growth regulators viz. NAA and GA₃of different levels (50 PPM, 100 PPM, 150 PPM, 200 PPM). The superior growth attributes like maximum plant height (47.38 cm) at 45 DAT,(51.01 cm) at 60 DAT and (54.04 cm) at 90 DAT, maximum number of leaves per plant (6.32) at 45 DAT and (8.84) at 60 DAT were recorded from the application of NAA 150 PPM (T₃). The superior yield attributes like maximum fresh weight of bulb per plant (60.12 gm), maximum bulb polar diameter (4.75 cm) and maximum bulb equatorial diameter (5.45 cm) were recorded from the application of GA₃ 100 PPM (T₆).

AN ASSESSMENT OF DETERMINANTS OF PRODUCTIVITY AND PRODUCTION CONSTRAINTS OF WHEAT FARMING IN KANCHANPUR, NEPAL

Kamal Kafle

Although having huge potential for Wheat farming, productivity in Kanchanpur is still below the productivity of other districts like Kailali, Banke, Kapilbastu, and Rupendehi which have similar climatic conditions as Kanchanpur. So, this research was carried out in the month of March- April in 2022 to identify the factors affecting Wheat production and problems of wheat farming in Kanchanpur district. Kanchanpur district was purposively selected due to the high potential of wheat production in the region. Total one hundred of farmer’s households were selected by simple random sampling and primary data was collected with the help of a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire by interview schedule and secondary data were collected from relevant journals. A multiple regression model was applied to identify the factors of wheat production. This study identified that wheat cultivated land with irrigation facilities, the experience of farmers in the field of wheat farming (years), amount of NPK applied and education level of household head had a significant positive impact on wheat production in the study area. About 95% variation in wheat production was explained by the independent variable considered under the study. Indexing was applied to identify major problems of wheat production. This study revealed that lack of fertilizer in peak plantation time, problems like damage from wild animals and stray cattle, unavailability of improved seed, unavailability of irrigation, high incidence of disease and pest, lack of proper access to market etc. were major constraints of wheat production in the study area.

A review on molecular breeding techniques: Crucial approach in livestock improvement

Rupak Kandel — 2023-12-25

For underdeveloped countries, molecular breeding (MB) has a lot of promise. However, the implementation in developing countries is far from uniform. Livestock improvement programs aim to improve the genetics of domesticated animal populations by selecting males and females who, when mated, will produce progeny that perform better than the current generation's average. The amount of genetic progress made through conventional selection and breeding methods for quantitative traits in livestock is successful, but limitations such as routinely recording phenotypes, animal sacrifice for meat quality traits, recording in particular sex for sex-limited traits, and so on the limit the amount of genetic progress made through conventional selection and breeding methods. Marker-assisted selection (MAS), genome-wide selection (GWS), marker-assisted recurrent selection (MARS), and genome-wide sequencing (GS) are examples of modern breeding procedures. Molecular genetics technology may provide a technique to choose breeding animals at an early age (even embryos), to select for a wide variety of features and to improve the accuracy of forecasting an individual's mature phenotype. This paper examines the challenges and potential of applying molecular breeding techniques to improve livestock in developing countries.

Evaluating the efficacy of different botanicals on prolonging shelf life and maintaining quality of mandarin (Citrus reticulate Blanco var. Banshkharka Local)

Asmita Khanal — 2023-12-25

Mandarin (Citrus reticulate Blanco) has been cultivated in 56 districts of Nepal. Huge losses in mandarin were reported and use of safer alternatives to synthetic chemicals to solve post-harvest losses is a matter of great concern. An experiment was conducted at the Directorate of Agricultural Research, Lumle for two consecutive years 2019 and 2020. Mandarin having similar maturity indices were harvested and transported to DoAR, Lumle. The fruits were treated with five different botanicals (garlic extract @ 10 %, ginger extract @ 10 %, aloe vera extract @ 10 %, neem extract @ 10 %, and control) allocated in randomized complete block design with four replications. The post-harvest study was conducted for 3 weeks under laboratory conditions (7.9 ± 3° C and RH 74 ± 4%). Different parameters such as physiological loss in weight (PLW), decay loss, total soluble solid (TSS), titrable acidity (TA) and fruit weight to juice ratio were recorded. Fruit treated with ginger extract @ 10 % recorded the minimum physiological loss in weight (6.31% and 5.15%), minimum decay loss (16 % and 17%) in the year 2019 and 2020, respectively. Highest TSS: TA ratio (13.54 and 12.79) and fruit weight to juice ratio (0.33 and 0.35) was also observed in fruit treated with ginger extract @ 10 % in both years. In both years, results obtained in the fruits treated with ginger extract was followed by fruit treated with aloe vera extract and garlic extract. Control treatment gave the poor result as compared to ginger extract @ 10 %. Thus, this study concluded that the use of ginger is suitable for postharvest treatment of mandarin fruit to increase its shelf life and maintain its quality parameters.

Socio-economic appraisal of fish sanctuary on livelihood of fishermen in Chikadubi beel of Dingapota Haor, Netrokona, Bangladesh

Md. Shahin Alam — 2023-12-25

The investigation was conducted on the livelihood status of fishers of Chikadubi beel in Dingaputa haor, Netrokona district of Bangladesh for a period of 6 months from August 2020 to December 2020. A total 50 fishers were randomly selected and data were collected from them through direct interview. Focus group discussions were carried out by a previously made checklist. The results showed that the annual income of fishermen varied from BDT 30000 (270.79 USD) to BDT 70000 (631.85 USD). Maximum (58%) fishers were low-income levels from BDT 30000 (270.79 USD) to BDT 40000 (361.05 USD) and trying to shift their professions to other subsidiary professions. Among them 66% of the respondents indicated that this sanctuary is very effective in improving socio-economic status of the fishers. Relatively middle age group (31 to 40 years) dominated in all study areas. Muslim fishermen are the most dominant in the study area. 68% of the fishers live with nuclear families. The highest percentage (62%) fishers can sign only due to economic crisis and lack of awareness about education, (24%) having Primary level education, (14%) have no education as the children dropped out from school before completing their primary education. Housing and sanitation conditions of the fishermen were not well developed. Based on various livelihood parameters, fishermen are leading very poor state of lives. Sanctuary establishment and Community based aquatic resource management strategies may be undertaken with a view to enhance fish production to improve the livelihood condition of the fishers dwelling in the Chikadubi beel area of Dingaputa haor in Bangladesh.

Value addition of homemade pickles in selected areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh

Nasrin Aktar — 2023-12-25

The pickles are popular food item in Bangladesh. Different types and kinds of pickles are sold by the vendors in the roadside those are processed by themselves at their home. This study has been conducted to assess the value addition of homemade pickles. The four homemade pickles (mango pickle, tamarind prickle, jujube pickle and elephant apple pickle) were selected for this study. The study was conducted in Gulshan, Dhanmondi, Uttara and Mirpur of Dhaka in Bangladesh. This study was based on primary data. Primary data were collected through face-to-face interview method in the month of mid-September to mid-October 2019. Data were collected from 20 vendors (selected conveniently) and 60 consumers (selected purposively) of homemade pickles. Descriptive statistics (mainly mean, percentage) was used to analyze the data. Value additions of homemade pickles were calculated by deducting the cost of production from the selling price of pickle which can be found from the value addition tables. The study found that the vendor’s added value of Tk. 330.44 ($3.94) to one kg raw mango, Tk.293.32 ($3.49) to one kg tamarind, Tk.340.01 ($4.05) to one kg jujube and Tk.425.57 ($5.07)to one kg elephant apple by processing to make pickle if it is ignored the value addition of other ingredients. In percentage term, it was 182.67 to 448.90 according to pickles. So, this is a productive activity creating form utility for the consumers that can contribute to the economy of Bangladesh.

An analysis of area and production growth rate along with price forecasting of major pulses in Bangladesh

Md. Mahfuzul Hasan — 2023-12-25

Pulses are the most significant crops in the world, as well as in Bangladesh, for their commer-cial and nutritional importance. The study was carried out to determine the rate of expansion in area and production for several types of pulses such as Mosur, Mung, Mashkalai, Gram, and Khesari in Bangladesh, as well as to anticipate wholesale prices for those pulses. Secondary data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and the Department of Agricultural Marketing were used in this study. Following a diagnostic check, such as R², Adjusted R², RMSE, AIC, BIC, MAE, and MAPPE, it was discovered that the Cubic growth model was the best for specified pulses. The data over the entire time revealed that total output in the area rose in the case of all pulses. Mosur and Mung had positive average production growth rates of 2.02 and 6.919 percent, respectively. Mashkalai, Gram, and Khesari experienced negative growth rates of -0.541, -8.894, and -0.854 percent, respectively. After computing the average percentage change for Area growth rate Mosur, Mung, and Mashkalai showed positive growth rates of 1.229, 4.631, and 1.152 percent, respectively. In contrast, Gram and Khesari both had negative average values of -7.719 and -1.987 percent. This study applied the ARIMA (0,1,0) (1,0,1) model for Mosur, ARIMA (0,1,2) model for Mung, ARIMA (2,1,2) model for Mashkalai, ARIMA (2,1,4) model for Gram, and ARIMA (0,1,0) model for Khesari since those models passed the diagnostic test. Forecasting findings revealed that Mosur, Gram, and Khesari wholesale prices would be marginally modified, while Mung and Mashkalai wholesale prices would be raised in 2025. Thus, analyzing the growth rates of area and output of key pulses may help farmers allocate their land more wisely and price forecasts will help farmers in identifying the best crops for their production, which will improve the output of these crops in Bangladesh.

Prevalence and antibiogram of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus species in subclinical mastitis among dairy cows in western Chitwan, Nepal

Gita Pandey

Mastitis is a major economically important disease manifested in clinical and subclinical forms among dairy animals. This study aimed to isolate the mastitis-causing bacteria, their prevalence, and associated risk factors of subclinical mastitis (SCM) with their antibiogram. This study was conducted from July 2017 to May 2019 in Western Chitwan, Nepal. Approximately 10 ml milk samples were collected from each quarter in a sterilized bottle from 340 cows. The California Mastitis test (CMT) was performed for screening of mastitis, which was followed by immediate bacteriological culture in both Nutrient Agar (NA) and Selective media [Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA), Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) Agar, Mac Conkey Agar], Grams’ staining, and confirmatory biochemical test for respective organisms. The results from CMT revealed that the prevalence of SCM was 41.47% (141/340). The biochemical cultural characteristics found that the most common Staphylococcus (39.01%) followed by E. coli (23.40%), Streptococcus (17.73%), and others unidentified (19.85%). The statistical analysis shows a non-significant association between breed, stage of lactation, milk yield, farming system, and prevalence of SCM among dairy cattle. Antibiogram profile indicated that tetracycline (80.3%) was the most effective drug followed by ceftriaxone (70.5%), Gentamicin (59.0%), and Enrofloxacin (44.3%). In conclusion, there was a high prevalence of subclinical mastitis in western Chitwan. Mastitis pathogens develop resistance against ampicillin. Further studies are required to develop alternative control strategies for mastitis in Nepal.

Keywords: Antimicrobial-resistant, CMT, Mastitis, Risk factor, Streptococcus

Impact of Anthropogenic Fires on Soil Health and Fertility in Ghana: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Soil Ecosystem.

Georgina Asare

Soil has played a crucial role in supporting the existence of human populations through the provision of food and to some extent water. While its ecosystem services continue to fascinate scientists, the impact of bushfires, which directly remove vegetation cover and expose the soil to erosion and runoff, has adversely affected the health and functions of the soils of Ghana. The occurrence of anthropogenic fires in Ghana is deeply rooted in the cultural and traditional farming practices of the local population which makes its control quite difficult. The objective of this study is to assess the adverse effect of anthropogenic fires on soils of Ghana. The study reveals that anthropogenic fires have primarily affected the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soils of Ghana. Of particular concern is the volatilization of essential soil nutrients, potentially causing a temporary loss of soil fertility and contributing to environmental pollution. Nevertheless, there has been no studies carried out to investigate the impact of anthropogenic fires on the microbial properties of the soils of Ghana. The complex and varied effects of anthropogenic fires in the soil ecosystem of Ghana emphasizes the need for sustainable fire management practices to preserve soil health and productivity.

Keywords: Bushfire, Ecosystem service, Erosion, Runoff, and Volatilization.

UDDER MORPHOLOGY, MILK QUALITY AND MILK COMPOSITION OF SAANEN GOAT AT NGRP BANDIPUR

Ayush Adhikari

Goat farming plays a crucial role in meeting global demands for meat and dairy products, especially in Nepal, where it contributes significantly to agricultural GDP and rural livelihoods. The introduction of Saanen goats, known for their prolific milk production, has the potential to revolutionize goat farming in Nepal. This study, carried out over a 28-day period involving 10 Saanen goats at the late lactation stage assesses udder morphology, milk composition, and milk quality in Saanen goats at the National Goat Research Program, Bandipur, Nepal. The results indicate that most goats have symmetrical, globular udders and funnel-shaped teats. Somatic cell count (SCC) values consistently remained within the normal range throughout the duration of the study, with the notable observation that SCC values were higher in the right teat (1137242 cells/ml) compared to left teat (352676 cells/ml) and teat-to-ground distance notably impacted SCC, especially in the left teat. The right teat did not significantly affect SCC, possibly due to individual variations. Milk composition remained stable, with minor fluctuations, and physical udder measurements showed significant variations in udder circumference and width, possibly linked to milk production. The study highlights the potential for sustainable high-quality milk production in Saanen goats in Nepal and offers insights for early health issue detection, fostering effective herd management and productivity. Further research with larger sample sizes and different lactation stages can provide more comprehensive insights into Saanen goat farming in Nepal.

Keywords: Milk Composition, Somatic Cell Count, Saanen Goats, Udder Morphology

Edible Insects Diversity, Abundance, and Conservation

Insects are the most varied category of creatures, with one million species accounting for 80% of all species on the planet. Practice of eating insects is called entomophagy. Edible insects are consumed and number of species serves as good source of nutrients all over the world. Over 2000 species of insects are consumed around different regions of the world. Coleoptera order consist the major number of edible insects used as feed in the world followed by Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Isoptera, Odonata, Diptera and other orders. These insect species also contain significant amount of nutrients such as protein, fat, minerals, fiber, ash, amino acids and others. Despite of their potential as alternative human feed, there is still an aversion to acceptance of insects as food due to lack of researches and study related to this aspect. This paper assesses the diversity and abundance of edible insects around different parts of their world, nutritive values of these insects, and their conservation. This study is based on recent data available from different source and literatures.

How Agricultural Credit and Subsidies Impact Agricultural Productivity in Ethiopia: Empirical Evidence Using ARDL Model

Lemane Gebeyehu

The main objective of this study is to examine the effects of agricultural credit and subsidies on agricultural productivity in Ethiopia from 1990 to 2021. We obtain secondary data from the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Bank databases. The Autoregressive Distributive Lag Model to co-integration is applied to estimate the long- and short-run effects of agricultural credit and subsidies on productivity. The findings revealed that in the short-run, credit provision affected productivity negatively but subsidies to agricultural sector showed a positive significant effect. However, in the long run, the effect of credit turned out to be positive and significant, whereas, subsidies affected productivity negatively. It is recommended that the government design and implement policy measures that create better access to agricultural financing to enjoy long-run improvements in productivity. Similarly, the government should offer subsidies to the agricultural sector only during short-run periods and need to lift them gradually in the long run as their provision retards productivity in the long run.

Review on the Nexus between Macroeconomic Variables and Economic Growth: The Case of Ethiopia

Lemane Gebeyehu

One of the most contentious topics among academics is the association between macroeconomic variables and economic growth. The primary goal of this review is to examine how macroeconomic factors affect Ethiopia's economic growth. Reviews were conducted on the titles, abstracts, publication years, and main contents of all the papers that made it past the screening stage. Since Ethiopia's new government was elected in 2018, I've been curious to see how things have turned out, so a thorough literature review was conducted on 20 publications completed in Ethiopia between 2019 and 2023. The review result shows that almost all of the authors stated that economic growth, as measured by GDP, is influenced positively by foreign direct investment, government expenditure, gross fixed capital formation, money supply, trade balance, general debt, population growth, the consumer price index, and domestic investment, while negatively affected by inflation, trade openness, and interest payments. This article aims to give information about the impact of macroeconomic variables on a nation's economic growth to the government, policymakers, researchers, and other organizations that support economic growth. As a result, the review encourages further systematic meta-regression analysis evaluations of empirical literature, which can offer useful information to policymakers, researchers, and other groups trying to promote economic growth.

Value chain analysis of Mango in Saptari district, Nepal

Puja Teyung

Mango is an important fruit crop grown widely in the Saptari district of Nepal. A study was conducted in March and June 2022 under PMAMP-PIU (Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project-Project Implementation Unit), Saptari (PMAMP-PIU, 2074/75) to analyze the value chain of Mango in Saptari, which explored the functional and economic linkage among the actors. A total of 60 producers, 10 traders, 5 retailers and 2 key informants were interviewed. Data regarding production, post-harvest handling and marketing were analyzed by using descriptive and analytical methods with SPSS (version 26) and MS Excel 2021. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was undertaken in this study to generate insights into the limitations and opportunities of the mango value chain which can be used to establish the critical control points. The study identified key actors of Mango VC as input suppliers, producers, contract farmers, village-level collectors, wholesalers, retailers and consumers. Likewise, 4 marketing channels were identified in the study area. Economic analysis shows the cost of production per hectare was $1,453.71. Benefit cost analysis showed mango sub-sector is profitable business with BC ratio of 2.02. The average return was $2942.88/ha. The producers’ share was 55.28% in the proximal market and 32.25% in the distant market. Infestation of disease, insect and pest and lack of processing and post-harvest technology was major production problem.

Impact assessment of farm mechanization on potato production in Dadeldhura district, Nepal

Kapil Khadka — 2023-12-25

Potato is one of the major cash crops in Nepal but farmers can't maximize profits due to the low adoption of farm machinery and technology. There is insufficient research on agricultural mechanization and its effectiveness in the study area. Therefore, the goal of this study, which was carried out in the Dadeldhura district in 2022, was to assess the problem of farmers' potato cultivation yielding less profit than they might have due to a lack of agriculture equipment and technology adoption. Purposive and simple random sampling were used to select 90 respondents from four local bodies of the Dadeldhura district. Primary data were collected from a household survey with a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and Key Informant Interview (KII). Secondary data were collected from annual PMAMP, MoALD, FAO reports, etc. MS Excel and SPSS (26.0) were used to analyze and interpret the collected data. The study divided farmers into groups based on whether they used bullocks or mini-tillers, and it found that mechanical power was mostly used during land preparation and irrigation phases. Fragmented land and lack of capital were major constraints to promoting mechanization. The study showed that mini-tiller users had a greater B: C ratio than bullock users. Similarly, the average variable cost of production per hectare was substantially lower in mini-tiller users than in bullock users. The results underlined the financial viability of mechanized potato farming and stressed the necessity of removing barriers to automation and developing regulations to support small-scale mechanization. The study concluded that mechanization might be extended beyond the stages of irrigation and field preparation to further improve cost-effectiveness and increase the profitability of potato cultivation for farmers in the Dadeldhura district. Overall, the study emphasized the necessity of strategic interventions to encourage automation and enhance the profitability of potato farming in the area.

Morpho-physiological response of maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes under aluminium stress at early seedling stage

Md. Asaduzzaman — 2023-12-25

This study investigated the morpho-physiological responses of five maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes to aluminum stress during the early seedling stage. The experiment, conducted at the Plant Physiology Laboratory in the Department of Crop Botany at Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, followed a two-factor completely randomized design with aluminum concentrations (0 μM as control, 100 μM, and 200 μM) and five maize varieties (Konok, Kaveri-50, BWMRI-1, BHM-14, and BHM-16). Variety Konok exhibited superior overall performance across experimental parameters, while aluminum stress at 200 μM consistently decreased seed germination and seedling growth compared to the control at all recording stages. Variety Konok without aluminum stress demonstrated the highest values for root length (28.23 cm), shoot fresh weight (4.35 g), shoot dry weight (0.53 g), root fresh weight (8.18 g), root dry weight (1.21 g), total fresh weight (12.56 g), total dry weight (1.74 g), vigor index (5106.7). Conversely, under aluminum stress (200 μM AlCl3), the lowest values were observed in root length (14.70 cm), shoot length (15.38 cm), seedling length (31.50 cm), shoot fresh weight (1.79 g), shoot dry weight (0.20 g), root fresh weight (1.96 g), root dry weight (0.47 g), total fresh weight (3.84 g), total dry weight (0.67 g), vigor index (2592.7), and various stress tolerance indices. In summary, the study suggests that the maize variety "Konok" exhibits greater enhancement during the early seedling stage when grown without exposure to aluminum stress, emphasizing its potential for improved performance under normal conditions.

Determining the Profitability of Different NPSB and Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates on Yield and Yield Attributes of Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) at Southern Oromia, Ethiopia

Solomon Teshome

This is a traditional practice and most farmers and district offices only use fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus in almost all soils in Guji districts. These nutrients are detrimental to increasing crop yield and must be applied during the planting schedule. This experiment was conducted to investigate the profitability of Irish potatoes when applying different rates of NPSB and N fertilizers and the economically appropriate rate to maximize potato yield. The results showed that the combined application of mixed NPSB fertilizer and N2 was significantly influenced days to 50% flowering, plant height, tuber number per plant, average tuber weight, marketable tuber yield, unmarketable tuber yield and total tuber yield. However, 80 % days to maturity was not affected by the combined application of NPSB blended and N2 fertilizer. The highest marketable tuber yield (22.86 t ha^-1) and total tuber yield (24.76 t ha^-1) were recorded from combined application of 200 kg ha^-1 of blended NPSB fertilizer and 69 kg ha^-1 of N₂; while the lowest values 12.25 t ha^-1and 14.43t ha^-1, respectively were recorded from the control. The MRR, which determines the acceptability of any treatments shows that treatments that received 200 kg ha^-1 NPSB and 69 kg ha^-1 N2 nutrient yielded best result of 7700 % marginal revenue. Therefore it can be recommended that application of 200 kg NPSB ha^-1 and 69 kg ha^-1 N₂ is the appropriate rate for optimum productivity of Irish Potato for Adola Rede areas and similar agro-ecologies.

Plankton dynamics and physico-chemical parameters: A longitudinal investigation in carp and catfish culture ponds

Md. Abu Sayed Jewel — 2023-12-25

An experiment was aimed to discover the overall scenario of physico-chemical parameters along with the qualitative and quantitative analysis of plankton in two different fish culture systems as carp mixed culture and catfish (Pangus) monoculture from September 2021 to February 2022 using conventional techniques. The mean values of transparency and dissolved oxygen (DO) noted at the catfish culture pond were lower than those at the mixed carp culture pond while pH mean values were observed to be higher in the catfish culture pond than in the mixed carp culture pond. A total of 21 genera of phytoplankton were found in both ponds under the groups of euglenophyceae (4), cyanophyceae (4), bacillariophyceae (5) and chlorophyceae (8). Among zooplankton, 13 genera were identified including Rotifera (7), copepoda (2), cladocera (3) and crustacean larvae (1) were recorded in mixed culture ponds whereas in catfish culture ponds, 11 zooplankton genera were recorded including Rotifera (5), copepoda (2), cladocera (3) and crustacean larvae (1). Planktonic abundances were statistically significantly different between the different levels (phytoplankton abundance in CCP, phytoplankton abundance in MCP, zooplankton abundance in CCP, zooplankton abundance in MCP), χ2(3) = 220.46, p < 0.001. Mixed culture pond cyanophyceae, bacillariophyceae, and euglenophyceae are positively associated with water temperature and pH but negatively correlated with DO. Rotifera is negatively associated with catfish culture pond water temperature, whereas chlorophyceae and cyanophyceae are favorably. Catfish monoculture ponds had higher phytoplankton abundance, so phytoplankton grazing fish species could be included with pangus culture to maintain a better water quality.

Assessment of onion farming practices and purple blotch disease knowledge among farmers in varied agro-ecological zones of Nyeri County, Kenya

Kevin Mokaya Isaboke — 2024-03-25

Onion (Allium cepa L.) is the second most produced vegetable globally, following tomato and plays a vital role in both cuisines and daily diets. However, the threat of diseases, such as purple blotch caused by Alternaria porri, poses a substantial risk to onion production, particularly in Nyeri County, Kenya. Despite its critical impact on farming, there is a lack of information on farmers' knowledge of purple blotch in this region. This study aimed to assess the onion farming practices and farmers' understanding of purple blotch disease across various agro-ecological zones (AEZs) in Nyeri County. Specifically, the study examines farmers' demographics, cultivated onion varieties, and their knowledge of purple blotch disease. Farms were selected using cluster random sampling. Data were collected from 100 onion farmers through semi-structured questionnaires, and statistical analysis was performed using the
chi-square test in Scientific Analysis System (SAS) version 9.4 at α=0.05. The findings revealed that while the Rucet F₁ onion variety was popular among the farmers (52%), there is no significant association (X² (6, 100) = 11.947, p = 0.063) between the choice of variety and AEZs. Similarly, the preferred source of onion seeds, mainly Agroshop (84%), showed insignificant association (X² (9, 100) = 7.153, p = 0.621) with AEZs. Despite 65% of farmers reporting knowledge about onion diseases, there is no significant association (p > 0.05) between their awareness of purple blotch and AEZs. In conclusion, the study highlights a significant gap in farmers' understanding of purple blotch disease, emphasizing the need for training programs to enhance disease identification skills. Early detection can empower farmers to implement proactive measures, ultimately improving onion productivity. This study recommends diversifying onion varieties for disease resilience, promoting awareness and training on purple blotch identification, engaging women and youths in farming, and fostering collaborative networks for ongoing knowledge exchange and improvement in onion cultivation in Nyeri County.

Variation in heavy metals concentrations among seaweed species from Mkwiro seaweed farm, Kwale County, Kenya

Paul Leniko Lanyasunya — 2024-03-25

This study, conducted at the Mkwiro seaweed farm in Kwale County, Kenya, aimed to assess the concentrations of heavy metals (Cd and Pb) and essential elements (Na, Fe, Ca, and K) in selected edible seaweed species. The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive research design and probability sampling method to collect data. Seaweed samples of three selected species, Cottonii (Kappaphycus alvarezii), Sea lettuce (Ulva lactuca), and Bubble-green seaweed (Boergesenia forbesii) were collected in quadrants and subjected to chemical analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using R Studio version 4.3.2, with a significance level set at α=0.05. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences in lead concentrations among seaweed types (χ² (2) = 7.01, p = 0.03). Cadmium concentrations did not show significant differences (χ² (2) = 3.88, p = 0.14). For calcium concentrations, ANOVA indicated no significant effect of seaweed type (F (2,33) = 0.6381, p = 0.5347). Iron concentrations differed significantly among seaweed types (χ² (2) = 23.35, p = 0.00000849), with B. forbesii having the highest median concentration. Potassium and sodium concentrations did not significantly vary among seaweed types (p > 0.05). The study uncovers elevated cadmium levels in seaweed, indicating potential contamination risks. However, concentrations of essential elements were lower. To address these findings, it is recommended to initiate regular monitoring and pollution control measures in seaweed farms. Additionally, diversifying cultivation with low-metal species can enhance product safety and quality.

FARMER’S KNOWLEDGE, PERCEPTION, AND MANAGEMENT OF MAJOR DISEASES OF GINGER IN PALPA DISTRICT, NEPAL

Niraj Bhandari

Ginger is a high-value spice crop from mid-hill regions in Nepal, which is ranked fourth in global ginger production. Despite having huge potential, productivity is below the potential yield due to disease incidence in the Palpa district. A study was carried out to assess farmers’ knowledge, perceptions, management, and factors affecting their management. For the study, 90 farmers were selected by using a simple random sampling method from the Bagnaskali, Nisdhi, and Purbakhola rural municipalities of Palpa. Both primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed through computer software like SPSS and MS Excel, including simple descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and independent t-tests. The study affirms that the incidence of disease and pests (index value 0.9) is a major constraint on ginger production. Moreover, rhizome rot (index value 0.95) was reported as a major disease, followed by bacterial wilt, leaf spot, soft rot, and storage mold, and disease severity occurs 3-5 months after the DAS (Days After Sowing). The majority of farmers adopted the cultural method instead of the chemical method despite a high literacy rate and had a significant association with the use of chemical pesticides at a 5% level of significance. Furthermore, training had found a significant association with farmers’ knowledge level of diseases at a 1% level of significance. Farmers had perceived a 31.58% yield loss and a 40% loss of income due to disease. Thus, effective and efficient disease management methods should be adopted to hinder yield loss and control disease.

Genetic variation and trait association of fine rice genotypes

Biswash Raj Bastola — 2023-12-25

To explore high yielding genotype and significant yield contributing trait, field experiment was conducted using alpha lattice design replicated three times at the National Wheat Research Program (NWRP), Bhairahawa, Nepal in 2022. Eighteen fine rice genotypes were evaluated based on nine quantitative traits (Heading days, maturity days, plant height, panicle length, effective tillers, filled grains per panicle, unfilled grains per panicle, thousand grain weight and grain yield per hectare). Variance analysis, correlation and estimation of genetic parameters were conducted to comprehend genetic variations and interrelationships among traits within genotypes. The results showed most of traits except unfilled grains had statistical significance differences. Tarahara-107 (3940 kg/ha) had the highest grain yield followed by Tarahara-2 (3700 kg/ha) and NR 2381-RGA1-RGA2 (3665 kg/ha). Similarly, grain yield showed positive and significant association with filled grains at both phenotypic and genotypic level (r_p = 0.7074 ** and r_g= 0.9482 **). Elevated values of PCV and GCV were recorded for filled grains (22.05 and 17.57). The high value GAM coupled with high heritability was recorded for filled grains (28.83%), plant height (23.10%), number of effective tillers (21.57%) and thousand grain weight (19.37%). Thus, identified genotypes NR 2380-RGA1-RGA2 and NR 2381-RGA1-RGA2 exhibited early and potential high yielding genotypes while Tarhara-107 and Tarhara-2 identified as high yield, medium maturity and good filled grain number per panicle. In addition, filled grains trait displayed tightly linked with grain yield and possess high GCV, PCV, GAM with moderate heritability indicated direct selection could be employed for trait enhancement in breeding program.

Effect of Heat Stress in Spring Rice Cultivation; A Review

Rice is Nepal's main staple food crop, contributing considerably to the majority of people's livelihoods and the national economy. Rice cultivation is insufficient to meet current demand during the main season. As a result, spring rice cultivation is being performed throughout the country to increase rice production. High temperature is already one of the most significant environmental restrictions limiting tropical rice yield, with significantly higher temperatures causing grain weight and quality losses. Developing high-temperature stress-tolerant rice cultivars has been suggested as a possibility, however finding and selecting traits, as well as improving tolerance mechanisms in rice cultivars, will necessitate a thorough understanding of genetics, biochemistry, and physiological processes. Most agronomic strategies for minimizing high-temperature stress rely on early sowing of rice cultivars or selecting early maturing cultivars to prevent high temperatures during grain filling. However, as high-temperature stress events grow more common and severe in the future climate, current precautions may no longer be adequate. This paper discusses the impacts of heat stress on rice development, yield, and quality characteristics, as well as numerous morphological, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms, as well as the possible application of conventional and molecular breeding strategies.

Determinants of production constraints of mandarin farming in Dailekh district, Nepal.

Anisha Giri

Mandarin is the most important and highly commercialized fruit crop grown in the mid-hill region of Nepal. It is necessary to pinpoint the factors of production constraints of mandarin. This study was carried out in 3 wards namely Ranukhana, Chiudi, and Kalvairab of Dullu municipality of Dailekh using a simple random sampling technique. A household survey using pretested questionnaire was administered to a randomly selected sample of 75 respondents of which 53.33% were female and 46.67% were male. Descriptive statistics and index scaling were used for data analysis using SPSS and MS Excel. Out of the total sample population, for orchard management practices, tillage, manure application, and weed control were carried out by 100% of the respondents, only 6.7% of the respondent household had tested the soil, 13.3% had used Bordeaux paste, 93.3% had practiced the pruning activities, 5.3% used mulching material, 72% had an access to irrigation, 25.3% used the chemical fertilizers, and 76% carry out intercropping in the mandarin orchard. The majority of respondents (52%) had agriculture as a primary occupation for income and respondents who had been involved in mandarin farming ranged from 2 to 35 years. The land holding under mandarin orchard per household is 6.10 ropani (0.31 ha). The average production and productivity of mandarin in the fiscal year 20/21 of the study area were found 1.65 mt and 12.24 mt/ha respectively. The major pest of mandarin orchards was found to be citrus psylla (I=0.96) and the disease was found to be citrus canker (I=0.9). Incidence of pest and disease (I=0.93) followed by lack of irrigation (I=0.81) was the major production constraint of mandarin farming. The study inferred that most of the farmers have not applied the orchard management practices properly and adequately. For the better performance of the orchard timely application of the required practices would be better. It can be accomplished through the joint effort of the farmers and the respective agriculture sector working on that area.

Effect of combined application of urea and organic manures on soil acidity along with the growth and yield attributes of okra at Lamjung, Nepal

Shiva Basnet — 2023-12-25

An experiment was conducted in horticulture farm of Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Lamjung Campus, Nepal to evaluate the effect of combined application of Urea and Organic manures on soil acidity along with the growth and yield attributes of Okra. The experiment was set up under Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) comprising five treatments replicated four times. The various treatments used in the experiment were Cow manure + Urea, Buffalo manure + Urea, Goat manure + Urea, Buffalo manure + Goat manure + Urea and the Untreated Control. The required doses of Nitrogen for the crop were applied through treatments and that of Phosphorous and Potassium was petitioned from Single Super Phosphate (SSP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP), respectively. The quantities of nutrients were put in as recommended by Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) (i.e., 200:180:60 kg NPK per ha). The effect of Goat manure + Urea was found superior against plant height at 30 DAS (13.52 cm) and 45 DAS (32.15 cm), leaf area throughout the growth stage and in final mean fruit yield (12.33 t/ha). Meanwhile, the impact of Cow manure + Urea was found superior against plant height at 60 DAS (46.67 cm) and in case of reducing soil acidity (Soil pH = 6.75). Eventually, the experiment suggests the farmers to use Goat manure + Urea for desirable Okra production considering soil health and also with the application of Cow manure + Urea in the interval of (2-3) years ensuring the control over soil acidification.

Effect of plant spacing and sowing dates on the growth and yield of radish (Raphanus sativus) in Rupandehi district, Nepal

Shristi Parajuli — 2023-12-25

A field experiment was conducted from mid-April to mid-June 2022 in Rupandehi to evaluate the growth and yield of radish maintained in varied plant spacing at differed sowing dates. The study was aimed to compare the growth, production and economics of radish in Rupandehi district under different plant spacing and sowing dates and to evaluate the interaction between these two factors. Four plants spacing (10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm and 40 cm) with constant row spacing was maintained at two sowing dates (Chaitra 29 and Baisakh 14). The treatments were arranged in two factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The data were collected on 30 DAS and 45 DAS. The obtained data were recorded and analyzed using MS-Excel and R-studio, respectively. The results revealed that the highest yield was obtained from plant spacing of 20 cm (28.20 t/ha). However, individual plant weight was higher in wider spacing. Plant spacing of 20 cm showed significantly highest plant height (24.52 cm), number of leaves per plant (22.37) and leaf length (23.36 cm). Leaf blade width (10.67 cm) and petiole length (3.05 cm) was significantly highest in plant spacing of 30 cm. Early sowing date showed significantly better results for all growth and yield parameters and yield except leaf blade width. Higher gross return, net return and B:C ratio was observed in plant spacing of 20 cm and early sowing date. The study concluded that plant spacing of 20 cm and earlier sowing date was ideal for maximum growth and yield of radish in Rupandehi district.

A comprehensive study on biological parameters of Osteobrama cotio (Hamilton, 1822): Conservation strategy

Selina Yesmine — 2023-12-25

Osteobrama cotio, commonly referred to as Dhela locally, is one of the most essential sources of nourishment for humans. The present study was conducted at the Freshwater Station of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute in Mymensingh to learn more regarding the sex ratio, length-weight relationship, condition factor, gonadosomatic index, and fecundity. Fish samples were taken monthly, and their total length and weight were measured and noted. Among the 310 samples of fish evaluated, 201 (64.85%) and 109 (35.15%) were found to be females and males, respectively (F: M= 1.88: 1). The chi-square test findings showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the two sexes in the sex ratio study (χ2= 0.164, df= 1, p>0.05). It was shown that there was a substantial relationship (r²=0.76 for females, r²=0.96 for males, p<0.05) between fish fecundity and length. Positive allometric growth was observed in the length-weight relationships for both females and males (b=3.05 and 3.01, respectively; independent t-test; p<0.05). Throughout the study, the condition factor values for both sexes were more than 1, suggesting that both sexes are in excellent fitness (F=1.66 and M=1.67). Males and females showed GSI values ranging from 0.001 to 0.33 and 0.25 to 10.96, respectively. The gonadosomatic index scores for both sexes maximum in June while minimum in November. The range of fecundity was 297 to 6529; where June having the highest egg count, while November having the lowest.

Factors affecting awareness on good agriculture practices among citrus growers in Palpa, Nepal: Through binary logistic regression approach

Bidya Ojha — 2023-12-25

Being an indigenous high-value commodity, with significant market demand in the mid-hills of Nepal, citrus requires the incorporation of sustainable techniques in orchard to increase fruit production. For farmers in Nepal, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) is a novel concept. The majority of farmers are unaware of it, and those who are aware also have not fully embraced the techniques. Therefore, the study was conducted in summer 2022 to assess the factors that affect the awareness of GAP among the farmers at Palpa, Nepal. Rainadevi Chahara and Ribdikot rural municipality of Palpa district, Nepal was purposively selected, and altogether, 64 commercial citrus growers from the municipalities were taken by simple random sampling technique. The binary logistic regression model was used for analyzing the effect of different variables on the awareness of GAP among citrus growers. Different demographic and socioeconomic variables have been found associated for odds of being GAP aware. The findings revealed that, farmers’ who are GAP aware have an access to trainings and contact with extension agents, 4.164 and 10.293 times higher than those farmers who are GAP unaware respectively. Therefore, the study suggests that farmers knowledge on GAP can be further expanded through trainings and frequent contact with extension agents as they are the major factors affecting commercial citrus growers’ awareness to GAP in Palpa district, Nepal.

Farmer’s knowledge and Perception of late blight of potato and its management strategies in Kailali and Banke districts of Nepal

Late blight of potato (Phytophthora infestans) is one of the major diseases of potato in Nepal causing a significant yield loss. Late blight has continued to be a dominant potato disease for many decades in hill, midhills, and terai regions in Nepal. A survey of 60 randomly selected farmers was carried out in two major potato-growing districts (Kailali and Banke) in the western Terai region of Nepal to examine farmers’ knowledge and management practices of the late blight of potato and to analyze the role of relevant knowledge in their practices. From the study, farmers ranked disease as the major constraint in potato cultivation followed by a lack of inputs and market problems. The majority of farmers were able to identify disease symptoms on contaminated leaves and stems. On the other hand, they knew relatively little about the diseases, their causes, and practical ways to treat them. The majority of farmers relied on chemical management techniques and did not adhere to traditional methods for controlling late blight. Based on the severity of the illness and the availability of fungicides, the majority of farmers reported applying three to four times per season, separated by 10 to 14 days. Therefore, in order to manage the disease effectively, farmers must become knowledgeable about the disease, choose the right fungicides, apply them on time, and control the diseases in their local context by implementing a workable combination of management choices.

Impact of nematicides on plant-parasitic nematodes: Challenges and Environmental safety

Srijan Tiwari

Plant Parasitic Nematodes ((PPN) are tiny, pseudocoelomate, unsegmented, bilaterally symmetrical vermiform animals that attack plants. Nematicides are chemically synthesized substances that kill or harm nematodes. Between 1940 and 1950, three chemicals with nematicidal properties were discovered: methyl bromide (bromomethane), D-D mixture, and EDB (1, 2-dibromoethane; as ethylene dibromide) which were fumigants. When fumigant compounds are applied to soil, a gas moves through the open spaces between soil particles or dissolves into the water film that surrounds soil particles. Fumigants significantly decrease nematode respiration by oxidizing Fe+2 centers and alkylated proteins in the cytochrome-mediated electron transport chain. Despite the efficacy of fumigants in the nematode, their use was lowered due to the high environmental risk of these products. A new generation of nematicides was introduced - carbamates and organophosphates that served as contact nematicides, which led to the testing and development of other non-fumigant nematicides such as aldicarb, carbofuran, ethoprop, and fenamiphos. The carbamates and organophosphates acetylcholinesterase inhibitory properties prevent normal nerve impulse transmission in the nematode nervous system. Nematicides are typically non-selective pesticides, and their use has an impact on non-target organisms, humans, and the environment. Even though nematicides are toxic to humans, soil, groundwater, and non-target organisms, cautious nematicide selection and application are vital. New compounds that are less aggressive and more specific for phyto-parasitic nematodes have been developed, making them safer for the producer, consumer, and environment. Crop rotation, cover crops, organic manuring, use of resistant varieties, and other methods must be integrated with nematicides for increased effectiveness.

Consumer’s preferences for healthy food consumption: An empirical analysis from Mymensingh city in Bangladesh

Eshrat Jahan Mahfuza — 2023-12-25

Numerous non-communicable diseases are being caused by changes in food and lifestyle choices. However, the global trend of eating more healthful food is growing as people become more aware of their personal health. Nonetheless, not much scholarly work has been done on the perplexing purchasing habits of customers, especially in developing nations like Bangladesh. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine the preference for healthy food consumption and the factors associated with consuming healthy food. The study was conducted on 140 participants selected by a purposive sampling technique from Mymensingh city. Data were collected through both face-to-face surveys and via email with the help of an e-questionnaire from May 2022 to August 2022. A five-point Likert scale was applied to assess the consumer’s preference for healthy food products. The internal consistency of the items on the scale was examined by Cronbach’s alpha. In addition, binary logistic regression was used to identify the factors that affect consumers’ decisions to consume healthy food products. The study findings provide evidence of the highly disfavored attitudes (82.86%) toward healthy food consumption among people in the study area. The analysis also reveals that factors like gender, age, education, and monthly income have a positive impact on consumption decisions, while distance from the market, occupation, family size, and credit negatively affect consumption decisions.

Farmers’ Perceptions of the impact of climate change on apple production in lower Mustang, Nepal

Shristi Adhikari — 2024-03-25

Undoubtedly, climate change is becoming a worldwide concern due to its great sensitivity and detrimental effects on livelihood. The government, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders are striving to come up with novel and innovative approaches to combat the effects of climate change. Nevertheless, understanding and perceptions of the issue among local farmers are more crucial before making mitigation or adaptation plans. It’s them who are actually more exposed to these environmental works and who are on the frontlines of climate change. So, the study was conducted in 2022 at Lower Mustang to understand how farmers perceive climate change, how it has impacted apple production, and to find discrepancies between their perceptions and the actual change in climatic variability recorded by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM). Temperature and precipitation were two climatic variables that were taken into account to investigate the significant effects they have on the rate of apple production. Altogether, 60 households from Lower Mustang were selected randomly for the study. Pre-tested interviews, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, as well as secondary data from DHM, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD), etc. were used to collect the required information. The majority of farmers observed an increase in temperature (83.30%) and an unpredictable increase in rainfall (98%), which are consistent with the actual change in temperature and precipitation recorded between 1991 and 2021. Findings show that the average annual temperature and mean annual precipitation are increasing at a rate of 0.012°C per year and 0.4146 mm per year, respectively. This has resulted in the outbreak of significant amounts of diseases and insect pest infestations that have a direct impact on the quality and quantity of apples. The majority of farmers acknowledged that rainfall was the most significant climatic hazards that negatively impacted apple production, followed with hailstones having an impact on apples during flowering and fruiting. Farmers in the study area are limited to intercropping practices, mostly as an adaptation strategy to combat the impacts of climate change. The study concluded that farmers perceived climate change; they are aware of the term ‘Climate Change’ but haven’t taken any significant adaptation measures towards it. So, there is an immediate need for effective adaptation mechanisms, taking into account farmers' perspectives, to make Lower Mustang self-sufficient in apple production.

Study on the Economic Performance of Commercial Broiler Farms in Chitwan District of Nepal

The study was conducted in 2019 to evaluate existing broiler production situation, profitability, marketing channels and exploring opportunities in broiler production in Chitwan district. Forty-nine broiler producers were randomly selected for study. The results revealed association between the gross margin and the scale of production while the trade margin and the share of producers was not associated with the scale of production. The price was heavily influenced by the meat wholesalers and feed industries. There were long marketing channels for broilers marketing and stakeholders involved in the channel received more benefits than the manufacturer. Due to the long marketing channel of the broiler market, the producer had lower prices for their products while consumers were forced to pay dearly for chicken meat. The collected data revealed that 20% of the small sized and 20% of the medium sized while none of the large sized farms were at loss. The most serious problem was the low-price level of broilers received at farm level. Because broiler producers had little bargain in broiler pricing, broiler production and marketing management ruled important roles in the success and failure of broiler production. The analysis revealed that the variable cost of boiler production decreased as the size of the enterprise increased. Governments and related agencies should actively participate in dissemination services to enhance chicken health, organized marketing channels are essential for selling poultry products that can increase farmers' profits.

Prevalence of antibodies against classical swine fever in two districts of Nepal

Sonu Adhikari — 2023-12-25

This study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of Classical Swine Fever (CSF), caused by the Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV), in the Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchok districts of Nepal. The primary objective was to determine the prevalence of antibodies against CSFV in the swine population, providing crucial insights for targeted interventions and control strategies. A cross-sectional study was conducted between January and March 2018. The research involved structured questionnaire surveys and blood sample collection from selected farms in the study area. A total of 184 serum samples were collected and subjected to testing using the IDEXX ELISA test kit. The study evaluated seroprevalence by considering variables such as district, sex, age groups, and housing systems. Out of the 184 serum samples collected, 34 were found to be seropositive for CSFV antibodies, resulting in an overall seroprevalence of 18.40%. The study identified significant variations in seroprevalence between different factors, including districts, sexes, age groups, and housing systems. These findings indicate a notable exposure of swine populations in the Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchok districts to CSFV. This research highlights the considerable risk posed by CSF to the pig populations in the Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchok districts of Nepal. The identified seroprevalence and variations among different factors emphasize the importance of targeted interventions and control strategies in these regions. The findings serve as a foundation for informed decision-making to mitigate the impact of CSF, safeguard swine health, and protect the livelihoods of those dependent on the swine industry. This study was made possible with the support of the Zoonosis Control Project under the National Animal Science Research Institute, Nepal Agriculture Research Council.

Analysis of economic, production, and marketing aspects of potato farming in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur, Nepal

Shimran Dahal — 2023-12-25

A comprehensive study was undertaken in the Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis, analyze production functions, and evaluate the various marketing channels and associated challenges of potato cultivation. A total of 100 farmers were surveyed, and gathered data were, analyzed using Excel and SPSS software. Despite an average cost per hectare of potato cultivation reaching NRs 370,662.58, which is comparatively higher than in other regions, the productivity was notably greater at 22.021 Mt/ha, surpassing the national average of 16.73 Mt/ha. With a benefit-cost ratio of 1.68, potato production was found economically viable in the region. The production function analysis, conducted using the Cobb-Douglas Model, revealed noteworthy insights among the six variables examined. Fertilizers, machinery, plant protection measures, and micronutrients were identified as underutilized inputs, as indicated by a RUE value surpassing unity. Conversely, labor cost and various other factors exhibited negative associations with average returns. The study also revealed that potato production in the area exhibited an increasing Return to Scale (RTS) value of 1.619, indicating that a 1% increase in input expenditure would lead to a 1.619% increase in returns. Farmers primarily choose a marketing channel with three intermediaries, which results in a larger market margin but a smaller share for the producers. Among the five key marketing challenges reported by farmers, the influence of intermediaries stands out as the most significant issue. In conclusion, this study highlights the pressing need for efficient marketing channels and fair pricing systems to support potato farmers in the region.

Analysis of Economic, Production, and Marketing Aspects of Potato Farming in Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur, Nepal

Shimran Dahal

A study was conducted in the Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District to conduct a cost-benefit analysis, analyze production functions, and evaluate marketing channels and related challenges. A total of 100 farmers were surveyed, and data from various sources were, analyzed using Excel and SPSS software. Despite an average cost per hectare of potato cultivation reaching NRs 370,662.58, which is comparatively higher than in other regions, the productivity was notably greater at 22.021 Mt/ha, surpassing the national average of 16.73 Mt/ha. With a benefit-cost ratio of 1.68, potato production was deemed economically viable in the region. The production function analysis, conducted using the Cobb-Douglas Model, unveiled noteworthy insights among the six variables examined. Fertilizers, machinery, plant protection measures, and micronutrients were identified as underutilized inputs, as indicated by a RUE value surpassing unity. Conversely, labor costs and various other factors exhibited negative associations with average returns. The study also revealed that potato production in the area exhibited an increasing Return to Scale (RTS) value of 1.619, indicating that a 1% increase in input expenditure would lead to a 1.619% increase in returns. Farmers most commonly use a marketing channel that has three intermediaries. This channel had a larger market margin and a smaller producer’s share. Likewise, among the five most significant marketing problems reported by farmers, the dominance of intermediaries was recognized as the most severe challenge. In conclusion, this study underscores the need for effective market channels and a robust pricing mechanism to support potato farmers in the region.

SOIL APPLICATION OF ZINC FERTILIZER IN COMIBATION WITH NITROGEN ENHANCED MAIZE (Zea Mays L.) PRODUCTIVITY AND ITS CONCENTRATIONS IN PLANT

Jasim Iqbal

Both macro and micronutrients are vital for the growth and yield of maize crops. Nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) deficiencies are expected in arid and semiarid regions due to alkaline calcareous soil. This study was carried out to judge the interaction between N and Zn on spring maize crop productivity. The experiment was evaluated at the Agricultural Research Centre, Swabi, during spring season of 2015. N was applied in three various levels (100, 150 and 200 kg ha^-1) along with four levels of Zn (0, 5, 10 and 15 kg ha^-1). Maize hybrid “Pioneer 3025” was sown at seed rate of 30 kg ha^-1for this study. Our findings revealed that crops yield and yield components such as ears weight, 1000 grains weight and total yield of grains were significantly affected by both N and Zn treatments interaction. Utmost values were recorded in plots treated by 150 kg N ha^-1 and Zn 10 kg ha^-1, which were parallel to that of 150 kg ha^-1 N and 15 kg ha^-1Zn. Total plant N and Zn concentrations in plant had also shown significant effect to treatments interaction. Total plant N was found superior in those plots which were treated by N @ 200 kg ha^-1 & Zn @ 10 kg ha^-1 while Zn content in plants was recorded @ 15 kg Zn ha^-1and @ 200 kg N ha^-1. Our study concluded that N @ 150 kg ha^-1 and Zn @ 10 kg ha^-1 gave practically top yield and yield components.

Evaluation of local substrates as rice straw alternatives for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) cultivation in resource-constrained Darchula, Nepal

Krishna Raj Pandey — 2023-12-25

Oyster mushroom cultivation, though cost-effective, faces constraints due to seasonality and substrate availability. An experimental study was conducted in the resource-constrained Darchula district of Nepal from February to May 2022. The aim was to identify and recommend economically sustainable alternatives to rice straw for oyster mushroom production using local substrates in regions with limited resources. Six treatments; rice straw (T1), banana leaves and pseudostem (T2), maize cob (T3), sawdust (T4), grass (Eulaliopsis sp.) (T5), and spent mushroom substrates (T6); were employed in a completely randomized design with four replications. Statistical analysis of growth and yield parameters revealed significant results (P values ranging from P>0.001 to P>0.05) across all parameters. The maize cob treatment exhibited a shorter spawn run period (20.50 days) and the earliest pinhead formation (25 days). The highest total yield (3.14 kg) across three flushes was obtained from paddy straw, followed by T2 and T5, yielding 2.05 kg and 1.43 kg, respectively. Sawdust, despite its larger stalk (1.23 cm) and pileus diameter (7.72 cm), had the lowest production (0.63 kg). Maximum biological efficiency was recorded for T1 (139.63%), followed by T2, T5, and T3, respectively. Economically, T1 resulted in the highest gross margin per 10 kg of substrate (NRs.1845.22) and the highest B:C ratio (2.51), followed by T5 and T2. These findings highlight the promise of locally abundant substrates such as banana leaves, pseudo stems, Eulaliopsis, and maize cobs as economically viable alternatives to rice straw in regions with limited straw availability or unsuitable climates for rice cultivation.

Hydrochemical characterization of groundwater for consumption and agriculture: A case study from Phulpur Upazila, Bangladesh

Deen Islam — 2023-12-25

The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of groundwater for drinking and irrigation in Phulpur Upazila, Bangladesh, based on its hydrochemical attributes. In our research, we examined twenty groundwater specimens from shallow and hand tube wells, adhering to international and national guidelines. The data showed groundwater pH levels from 5.67 to 6.84, signifying slightly acidic to neutral properties. Total dissolved solids ranged from 79 to 298 mg/l, and conductivity varied between 120 and 832 μS/cm. Notably, the primary cations and anions were sequenced as Ca > Mg > Na > K and HCO₃ > Cl > SO₄ > PO₄, respectively. A marked correlation was discerned among the physicochemical parameters, and the predominant groundwater type was magnesium-bicarbonate (Mg-HCO₃). The main geochemical activity was identified as silicate weathering, pointing to significant rock-water interactions in the region. The groundwater displayed moderate salinity and low alkalinity, qualifying them as 'excellent to good' and 'normal' in quality metrics, respectively. The soluble sodium percentage was rated as 'excellent'. On multiple assessment scales, the groundwater quality was deemed 'good' for irrigation. In line with established classification systems, most samples were suitable for drinking and irrigation. Hence, the area's groundwater is viable for consumption and agricultural utilization. Cumulatively, our research offers critical insights for sustainable groundwater stewardship in the region, providing a foundation for policymakers to guarantee the sustained provision of high-quality groundwater for diverse applications.

Population trend of Grey and Purple Heron in National Chambal Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh, India

R.K. Sharma — 2023-12-25

Data of two species of Herons were collected, during the annual census of major aquatic fauna in the National Chambal Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh, India, over a period of 23 monitoring seasons. The survey was conducted by direct visual observation method from 1985 to 2016. During the surveys all the relevant information about the current status of Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) and Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea) in different zone of the Chambal River was complied. A total of 5318 (Avg. 443.66±242.6) individuals of Grey Heron and 104 (Avg. 8.66±4.39) individuals of Purple Heron were sighted. The highest density of Grey Heron 22.32/km was observed in zone XI and Purple Heron 0.75/km in zone III. Similarly, the least density of Grey Heron 4.82/km was in zone I, VIII and that of Purple Heron 0.07/km was in zone X. The result of the present study indicates that Chambal River continues to be a good habitat for Heron population. The Heron shares similar habitat and similar level of anthropogenic pressure in the study area. This is the first attempt to document the population status and distribution of Heron in different habitat zone of the sanctuary.

Present status of brood stock management and breeding operations at Carp Hatcheries in Jashore, Bangladesh

Akhery Nima — 2024-03-25

Sustainable aquaculture production depends on the proper management of brood stock. In this regard, multiple survey studies were reviewed to assess the present status of management of carp brood stock at Jashore region in Bangladesh from March 2023 to August 2023. A total of 38 hatcheries were selected in Jashore. The areas of ponds were ranged from 33.33 to 400 decimal and shape with maximum rectangular. The green color water of pond was 79% and 75% practice pond drying. Most of the farmers applied liming doses were ranged from 500- 1200 gm dec^-1. Most of the farmers used rotenone (39%) to control predators in the brood stock pond. Different sorts of fertilizers both organic and inorganic were applied. Most of the brood stocks (39%) were collected from the hatcheries and the rest of them were collected from other pond, World fish, BFRI and the natural sources (Halda and Padma River). Moreover, 4 carp species (rui, catla, mrigala and kalbashu) among 13 endemic and 4 exotic carp species (silver carp, grass carp, bighead and common carp) out of 6 exotic carp’s species were used for seed production. Negative selection of brood stock was performed in few hatcheries in order to reduce the cost for collecting or purchasing good quality broods. The formulated feed which contained 20-30% protein for carp brood stock were prepared using the indigenous ingredients including mainly rice bran, mustard oil cake, vitamin and mineral premix, wheat flour, fish meal and soya bean flour and maize flour. The main problem of hatchling production is Argulosis (fish lice) diseases which causes 95% of hatchlings mortality. Finally, these survey findings indicate that proper brood stock management could be a good approach to attain the main purpose of aquaculture.

Socioeconomic status of the people and their attitude toward conservation in Parsa National Park, Nepal

Kanchan Parajuli — 2023-12-25

This study aims to investigate the socioeconomic status of communities living in proximity to a park and their attitudes towards conservation. The questionnaires used in this study were carefully designed to achieve the desired research objectives. The majority of people living adjacent to the park depend on agriculture and livestock farming for their livelihood. People also benefit from the forest's resources in many aspects. People’s perceptions of wildlife conservation vary widely and are influenced by various factors such as economic status, cultural background, education status, awareness level, and personal experiences. Respondents with higher education status have been found to exhibit positive attitudes towards conservation. Results have shown that 70% of respondents who live near the park claim that coexistence with wildlife is becoming increasingly problematic. While the respondents are pleased with the practical conservation strategies that have contributed to the rise in wildlife populations, they are concerned about the increasing conflicts with wildlife. Crop raiding is a serious problem in several villages located near dense forests. Livestock depredation is another major issue that has been observed in the same area. Wildlife has been known to attack and kill livestock, causing a significant loss of income for the farmers in these villages. Many people feel that the lack of effective compensation mechanisms has led to a sense of antagonism towards both authorities and conservation efforts as a whole. The importance of effective compensation mechanisms in conservation efforts cannot be overstated. Some of the respondents have noted that the development of ecotourism has the potential to mitigate human-wildlife conflict. Ecotourism provides jobs, income, and other economic opportunities that help improve their socioeconomic status and, in turn, promote conservation.

Value chain analysis of potato in Bajhang district, Nepal

Tirsana Khadka — 2023-12-25

The study was conducted in the Bajhang district from February to July 2022. Its goals were to find the key actors in the potato value chain, assess their linkage, analyse marketing margins, determine the share of value-addition among each actor, evaluate the production cost, productivity, and profitability of producers, examine the producer’s share in consumer rupees, and conduct a SWOT analysis. The data collection process involved the random purposive sampling technique to select a total of 80 potato producers, 5 aggregators, 5 wholesalers, 10 retailers, 50 consumers, and 3 extension service providers. Findings revealed that, on average, potato cultivation covered 0.215 hectares (4.23 Ropani) with a productivity of 13.46 Mt/ha, which is lower than the national average. The production cost of the producer was NRs. 301,756.60/Ha (NRs. 15,356.57/Ropani) with a benefit-cost ratio of 1.37, and the producer’s share was 51.68%. The primary value chain actors included input suppliers, producers, aggregators, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. Marketing margins for producers, aggregators, wholesalers, and retailers were NRs. 359.25/quintal, NRs. 965/quintal, NRs. 945/quintal, and NRs. 1170/quintal, respectively. Value addition by potato producers accounted for 10.45%, while aggregators, wholesalers, and retailers contributed 28.05%, 27.48%, and 34.02%, respectively. The SWOT analysis highlighted opportunities like favourable policies, subsidies, processing options, rising potato demand, and potential production area expansion. To boost the profitability of the potato industry, it is imperative to address challenges such as poor seed quality, diseases-pests, drought, short shelf life, soil degradation, and fertilizer and pesticide availability while strengthening the linkage of value chain actors.

The cost-benefit analysis and constraints of pineapple production in Bangladesh

Tumpa Datta — 2023-09-25

The main purpose of the study was to estimate the profitability of pineapple production in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar District. Structured questionnaires and face to face interviews were done to collect raw data from 100 pineapple farmers during harvesting season. These farmers were chosen using a multi-stage sampling approach. Net return analysis, Benefit-Cost Ratio, and Kruskal-Wallis One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used to analyze the prepared data. Findings from net return analysis showed that pineapple production was a profitable activity in the study area. The total cost of production was Tk. 740,767 and the total return was also substantial, resulting in a net return of Tk. 501,445 for pineapple production. The Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) was 1.48, indicating that pineapple farming was profitable for the farmers. However, the study also discovered several constraints perceived by the farmers that hindered pineapple production. These constraints included issues like animal damage, lack of credit availability, natural calamities, labor supply shortages, expensive fertilizer, inadequate storage facilities, and poor seed quality. By mitigating these constraints, pineapple productivity may rise not just in the study area but also in other regions of Bangladesh where the fruit is grown intensively. Thus, this improvement could significantly contribute to the well-being of farmers and enhance their disposable income.

Growth and yield performance of hybrid rice varieties under varying zinc levels

Md. Rakib Hasan — 2023-09-25

Zinc deficiency in soil is currently a widespread problem in Bangladesh that significantly reduces the yield of a variety of crops, including rice. Despite the fact that many farmers started applying zinc fertilizer, many are unaware of the right amount and application technique. For this reason, to determine the impact of variety and zinc treatment on the performance of hybrid rice, a field experiment was carried out between November 2019 and May 2020 at the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University's experimental field in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207. The experiment consisted of two factors as variety (3 types) viz., V₁ – BRRI hybrid dhan2, V₂ – BRRI hybrid dhan3 and V₃ – BRRI hybrid dhan5 and, Zinc management (4 levels) viz., Zn₀ – 0 kg ha^-1 (control), Zn₁ – 2 kg ha^-1, Zn₂ – 4 kg ha^-1 and Zn₃ – 6 kg ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (Factorial) with three replications. Data on different growth and yield parameter of rice were recorded and significant variation was found for different treatments. Regarding varietal performance, the maximum panicle number hill^-1 (17.10), panicle length (28.03 cm), grain number panicle^-1 (109.45), 1000-grain weight (26.50 g), grain yield ha^-1 (6.94 t), straw yield ha^-1 (8.58 t), biological yield ha^-1(15.51 t) and harvest index (44.62%) were found from the variety BRRI hybrid dhan5. Considering Zn effect, the maximum panicle number hill^-1 (16.33), panicle length (27.14 cm), grain number panicle^-1 (108.11), 1000-grain weight (25.38 g), grain yield ha^-1 (6.81 t), straw yield ha^-1 (8.34 t), biological yield ha^-1(15.15 t) and harvest index (44.88%) were found from 6 kg Zn ha^-1. In the case of treatment combination of variety and zinc, the maximum panicle number hill^-1 (20.17), panicle length (29.45 cm), number of grains panicle^-1 (117.74), 1000-seed weight (27.43 g), grain yield (7.80 t ha^-1), straw yield (9.20 t ha^-1), biological yield (17.00 t ha^-1) and harvest index (45.78%) were found from BRRI hybrid dhan5 along with 6 kg Zn ha^-1. Therefore, the hybrid rice variety BRRI hybrid dhan5 with a Zn application of 6 kg ha^-1 yielded considerably more grain than the other treatment combinations under evaluation.

Varietal evaluation of spring rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes in Kanchanpur, Nepal

Biru Chaudhary — 2023-12-25

A field experiment was carried out on spring rice in the rabi season of 2022 from February 3 to July 4 with an aim to identify the most suitable spring rice cultivar in Kanchanpur, Nepal. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and eight treatments. The treatments were eight spring rice genotypes: one released (Chaite-5), one local genotype (ChaineeAndi), and six pipeline varieties (IR17A2946, IR17A2796, IR17A2949, IR13F402, IR16A3838, and IR18A2066). A total of 24 experimental plots, each of 6m² (3*2m), were set to the experimental design. The treatments were randomly assigned to the replications. Data were collected for various morphological characters such as plant height (cm), number of tillers (/plant), effective tillers (/m²), panicle length (cm), number of grains per panicle, sterility (%), thousand-grain weight (gm), grain yield (kg), straw yield (kg), biological yield (kg), and harvest index. Results revealed significance for all parameters except for the effective number of tillers per plant. ChaineeAndi took the least days to mature and had the highest effective tiller number per plant. Genotype IR17A2066 took the most days to flower and mature, and had greater plant height, thousand-grain weight, but low grain yield. Grains per panicle were higher in IR13F402 but lowest panicle length. Chaite-5 had the highest sterility percentage. Highest grain yield, straw yield, and harvest index was observed in genotypes IR16A3838, IR17A2946, Chaite-5, and IR17A2949. IR16A3838 performed superior than other genotypes in environmental conditions of Kanchanpur, Nepal.

Contribution of insect flower visitors on macadamia nut set, retention and yield in central Kenya

Nicholas I. Njue — 2023-12-25

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contribution of insects that visit macadamia flowers to nut set, retention, nut-in-shell, and kernel yields. The study was conducted at the Macadamia Research Centre in Kandara, Murang'a County, in three flowering cycles (cropping), from August 2020 to May 2022. Nut set, retention, and yield were assessed by randomly selecting twelve trees that were in full bloom at the study orchard in each of the flowering cycles. On each of the twelve trees, four branches of the same size were selected and tagged for the study. The branches were about 1 to 1.5 metres high from the ground. On each branch, one raceme at the bud stage was randomly selected and one of the four treatments administered. The treatments were (i) bagged during the day with mesh nets, (ii) bagged at night, (iii) bagged throughout the flowering season, excluding all insects, and (iv) racemes were left unbagged, thus having unlimited flower visitation by insects. There were significant differences on nut-in-shell yield (mass) (P≤0.05) in flowers that were unbagged (68.23 ± 4.03), bagged at night (61.50 ± 3.51), bagged during the day (6.53 ± 1.05) and those that were bagged throughout (4.45 ± 0.95). Racemes that had flower visitors fully excluded resulted in low nut-in-shell production. The initial nut set, retention, and ultimately the nut-in-shell yields were significantly increased in flowers that were left unbagged, thus insects had unlimited access. Macadamia nut set, retention, and ultimate yield (nuts-in-shell and kernel) is largely dependent on the presence of insect flower visitors.

Surpassing National Averages: The Elevated Productivity and Economic Viability of Potato Farming in Changunarayan Municipality, Bhaktapur, Nepal

Shimran Dahal

A study was conducted in the Changunarayan Municipality of Bhaktapur District to assess the demographic characteristics of farmers, conduct a cost-benefit analysis, analyze production functions, and evaluate marketing channels and related challenges. 100 farmers were surveyed, and data from various sources (KIS, FGD, Surveys, literature) were, analyzed, and interpreted using Excel and SPSS software. Despite an average cost per hectare of potato cultivation reaching NRs 370,662.58, which is comparatively higher than in other regions, the productivity was notably greater at 22.021 Mt/ha, surpassing the national average of 16.73. With a benefit-cost ratio of 1.68, potato production was deemed economically viable in the region. The production function analysis, conducted using the Cobb-Douglas Model, unveiled noteworthy insights among the six variables examined. Fertilizer, machinery, and plant protection measures, along with micronutrients, were identified as underutilized inputs, as indicated by a Resource Use Efficiency (RUE) value surpassing unity. Conversely, labor costs and various other factors exhibited negative associations with average returns. The study also revealed that potato production in the area exhibited an increasing Return to Scale (RTS) value of 1.619, indicating that a 1% increase in input expenditure would lead to a 1.619% increase in returns. Furthermore, among the four reported marketing channels, the one involving three intermediaries between producers and consumers was the most commonly followed by farmers. It was evident that as the number of intermediaries increased, the market margin expanded, but the producer's share decreased. Among the five most significant marketing problems reported by farmers, the dominance of intermediaries and price fluctuations were recognized as the most severe challenges. In conclusion, this study underscores the need for effective market channels and a robust pricing mechanism to support potato farmers in the region.

Multiplication performance of monkey jack by cleft grafting on single source seedling rootstock

M. Robbani — 2023-12-25

The present research work was undertaken to study the fate of cleft grafting of five potential monkey jack genotypes during 2020-2021 at the Germplasm Center, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Bangladesh. Scions from five in situ conserved promising mother plants named as Dumki-Al-S1, Dumki-Al-S2, Dumki-Al-S3, Dumki-Al-S4 and Kalapara-Al-S5 were cleft grafted on seedling rootstock (Dumki-Al-R1) of single genotype. A pot experiment was set in two-factor (Scions and Days after grafting) RCBD with 10 replications. The time required to break bud varied significantly among the treatments and ranged from 14 to 20 days. Dumki-Al-S1 required the maximum time to bud break (20 days) followed by Dumki-Al-S3 (18 days). Dumki-Al-S2 took minimum time (14 days) for bud breaking. The maximum increased length of rootstock found in Dumki-Al-S2 which were 55.00, 55.70, 56.44 and 65.30 cm at 21, 42, 63 and 84 days after grafting (DAG), respectively, followed by Kalapara-Al-S5 (61.80, 54.80, 55.30, and 57.12 cm at 21, 42, 63 and 84 DAG, respectively). Kalapara-Al-S5 showed maximum diameter of rootstock (1.44, 1.70, 1.80 and 1.94 cm at 21, 42, 63 and 84 DAG, respectively) followed by Dumki-Al-S4 (1.08, 1.24, 1.34 and 1.42 cm at 21, 42, 63 and 84 DAG, respectively). The length and diameter of scion of Dumki-Al-S4 and Kalapara-Al-S5 were higher and statistically identical at 84 DAG. The maximum graft height was recorded in Kalapara-Al-S5 (70.60, 73.40, 76.00 and 77.10 cm at 21, 42, 63 and 84 DAG, which was statistically similar with Dumki-Al-S2. Kalapara-Al-S5, Dumki-Al-S3 and Dumki-Al-S4 showed maximum number of leaves per graft at 84 DAG. The maximum graft success of 40% was observed in both Dumki-Al-S1 and Dumki-Al-S3 at 84 DAG, whereas, other treatments had less than 20% graft success. Kalapara-Al-S5 and Dumki-Al-S2 showed significantly higher and identical number of sprouted shoots at 84 DAG. Dumki-Al-S1 showed the maximum lengths and diameters of shoot at 84 DAG. The overall performance of the stionic combinations indicated that Dumki-Al-S1 and Dumki-Al-S3 were found promising for further grafting trials with seedling rootstocks.

Recovery Percentage of Different Coffee Varieties (Coffee arabica) From Fresh Cherry in Gulmi, Nepal

Mandira Sapkota

Different coffee cultivars have different out-turn ratios based on the methods of processing and fruit characteristics. Wide new varieties of coffee are available, and their recovery percentage and out-turn have yet to be tested in Gulmi District or any other coffee-growing region of Nepal. A field experiment evaluated the recovery percentage and out-turn of parchment, green beans, and roasted beans of different coffee cultivars from the fresh cherry in Aapchaur, Gulmi, Nepal. The experiment was laid out in RCBD design with three replications. The treatments consisted of 10 varieties of coffee (Catisic, Bourbon Amarillo, Mundo Novo, Catimor, Yellow Catura, Catuai Amarillo, Firfire, Sanroman, Gulmi Local, and Tekisic). The research result revealed that the Mundo Novo variety of coffee had the highest recovery percentage (18.13%). The recovery percentage of wet parchment from fresh cherry was highest on the variety Catuai Amarillo (63.13%). In contrast, the recovery percentage of dry parchment from fresh cherry was found on variety Mundo Novo (24.85%) due to the removal of a higher amount of floated parchment while washing fermented wet parchment. Likewise, the highest recovery percentage of green beans from Fresh cherry was found in the variety Mundo Novo (21.13%). Similarly, the highest recovery percentage of roasted beans from fresh cherry was found in the variety Mundo Novo (18.13%) because of less floated parchment, wider fruit size, and uniformly ripened cherries than other varieties. Therefore, Mundo Novo and Catuai Amarillo are suggested for cultivation for farmers in Nepal due to their high recovery percentage and out-turn.

A REVIEW ON RECENT ADVANCES IN ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Lokendra Yogi

Animal biotechnology represents a cutting-edge field that has revolutionized our interactions with the animal kingdom. Recent advancements encompass various domains, including genetic editing techniques like CRISPR-Cas9, which allow precise genetic modifications for improved animal health and product quality. Cloning and reproductive technologies offer opportunities to preserve rare genetic traits and enhance livestock production, albeit accompanied by ethical and genetic diversity challenges. Transgenic animals, engineered with foreign genes, serve purposes from increased productivity to disease modeling, raising ethical and regulatory concerns. Disease resistance strategies involve selective breeding and gene editing to bolster animals' immunity, promoting sustainable farming practices. Biopharming utilizes genetically modified animals for large-scale pharmaceutical production, balancing potential benefits with containment and safety issues. Conservation efforts employ advanced genetic and reproductive techniques to protect endangered species, necessitating careful ethical and ecological considerations. Animal biotechnology promises transformative possibilities but underscores the importance of responsible progress and ethical frameworks.

AMMI GGE biplot analysis of wheat genotypes under heat stress and heat drought environment

Eishaina Chaudhary — 2023-12-25

Wheat is the third most important cereal crop of Nepal. Climatic changes have been a major threat on overall production and productivity of wheat in Nepal. With the aim of evaluating twenty elite wheat genotypes under heat stress and heat drought environments, a field experiment was conducted using alpha lattice design at Bhairahawa, Rupandehi, Nepal. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences in the yield across wheat growing environments (p<0.001). Environment explained 75.11% of the total variation in grain yield. NL 1404 was the most stable followed by NL 1368, and NL 1413. NL 1376, NL 1369. NL 1386 was the best adapted genotypes under heat stress environments whereas NL 1384, Gautam, and BL 4949 were best adapted to heat drought environments. NL 1346 was the best genotype. WWW model explained NL 1346 won under heat drought environment and NL 1384 under heat stress environment. Mean vs. stability model showed NL 1346 was the above yielder and stable genotype. In ranking, NL1179 was concluded to be the ideal genotype. From the study, NL 1368 was found to be the winning genotype under heat drought and heat stress environments. These genotypes should further be evaluated to release as a variety.

Effects of dietary Cu nanoparticles on growth performance, physiology and bioaccumulation in Asian walking catfish (Clarias batrachus)

Nasrin Akter — 2023-09-25

The present investigation was conducted to determine the optimal dietary Cu-NPs requirement of Asian walking catfish, Clarias batrachus (7.46 ± 0.15 cm; 5.28 ± 0.10 g) by feeding with diets supplemented with different concentrations of Cu-NPs (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/kg) and control group. Each experimental diet was hand-fed to triplicate groups of fish for 60 days in glass aquarium. Results showed that fish group fed with 20 mg/kg Cu-NPs in feed exhibited highest (P < 0.05) growth performance and feed utilization compared to the control group. However, increased level of Cu-NPs from 30 to 50 mg/kg in feed significantly reduced the growth performance. Significantly higher protein and lipid were also recorded at 20 mg/kg Cu-NPs supplemented group. Haematological parameters, serum lipid and enzymatic profile were found to influence significantly with the addition of Cu-NPs in feed compared to the control group. Based on the polynomial regression analysis between FW, WG and SGR_W against dietary Cu-NPs levels, the optimal dietary supplementation of Cu-NPs for C. batrachus were estimated to be ranged between 19.98 to 20.05 mg/kg per diet, respectively. Bioaccumulation of Cu was the highest in liver compared to muscle and serum, whereas the highest Cu accumulation was observed at 50 mg/kg Cu-NPs supplemented group. The findings of the present study will be helpful for formulating nutrient rich low cost catfish feed.

Growth performance of Thai Pangus (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) using different synthetic amino acids in plant protein based formulated diets

Durin Akhter Jahan — 2023-09-25

An experiment was carried out for a period of 120 days to evaluate three formulated diets among of which T₁ was formulated based on animal protein, T₂ was partially replaced animal protein with plant protein and adding amino acid whereas the T₃ was formulated with fully plant protein with adding amino acid to assess the growth performance of Thai Pangus, Pangasionodon hypophthalmus. Each treatment had three replicates using 9 (nine) mini experimental ponds. The stocking density was 120 fish/decimal. Initially, the fish were fed twice daily at a rate of 5% of their body weight, which was progressively reduced to 2% by the end of the experiment. During the experimental period, the water quality parameters observed (temperature 26.0°C-31.5°C, pH 7.50-8.44, DO 4.30-5.94 mgL^-1, ammonia-nitrogen 0.01 to 0.03 mgL^-1, and total alkalinity 155-185 mgL^-1) were found to be optimal and stable. The mean weight gains (WG) of Thai Pangus were 421.6±4.71 g, 407.34±1.97 g and 345.89±4.44 g for T₁, T₂ and T₃, respectively and significantly (p<0.05) highest WG was obtained in T₁ and T₂ followed by T_3.The specific growth rate (SGR) was found highest in T₂ (2.70±0.03) followed by T₁ (2.53±0.06) and T₃ (2.16±0.04), respectively. The highest feed conversion ratio (FCR) was found in T₁ (1.62) whereas lowest FCR obtained from T₂ (1.52±0.01) followed by T₃ (1.55). The protein efficiency ratio (PER) values were ranged between 2.03 and 2.13 and highest was found in T₂(2.13±0.05). The highest production was attained from T₁(13557.50±51.60 kg ha^-1) followed by T₂ (13227.71±50.72 kg ha^-1) and T₃(11450.60±49.87 kg ha^-1), respectively. The findings of this study revealed that, the partial replacement of animal protein with plant protein adding limited amino acid (lysine and methionine) exhibited the best performance on the basis of nutritive value and growth performance.

Value chain analysis of Sweet orange in Sindhuli district, Nepal

Prabhat K.C.

Government of Nepal has announced a super-zone of sweet orange in Sindhuli district to enhance productivity and commercialization of sweet orange subsector in the Banepa-Bardibas road corridor. This study analyzed sweet orange value chain in Sindhuli district. A total of 150 producers, 5 retailers and 4 agro vets, 8 banks and co-operatives, 2 processing industry and 2 nurseries were selected using random sampling method. The pretested semi-structured questionnaires surveys, focused group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted to collect primary data and analyzed using STATA and MS Excel. The study revealed the value chain stream in the Sindhuli district. Sweet orange market was found oligopolistic competitive along the chain. Producers of Sindhuli district were sustaining the business because of their higher benefit cost ratio (1.37) and higher farm gate price for fruits (NRs 54.27). The reasons for this were relatively better institutional set up contributing to extension and training services, and better technological adoption rate in Sindhuli district. In addition, the chain stream of Sindhuli district had better market margin, market efficiency and value addition. Thus, policy efforts to strengthen local institutions providing extension, training, insurances, market information and credits are recommended to improve the performance of the value chain. In addition, encouraging processing and value addition of bananas should be of concern to development practitioners and policy makers.

Heavy metal contamination and risk assessment on ecological and public health in a tropical estuarine river

Md. Ayeunddin Haque — 2023-09-25

Heavy metals contamination of water is one of the most severe environmental and public health issues. The present study was conducted to assess the levels of lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in surface water of the Pasur River estuary in Bangladesh along with their health risk through the ingestion and dermal exposure. The decreasing order of studied metals was Cr > Pb >Cu > Zn > As > Cd with the mean value of 0.050 > 0.024 > 0.021 > 0.014 > 0.012 > 0.006 mg/L respectively. Pb, Cr, Cd and Zn concentration in water samples exceeded the safe limits of drinking water and thereby not safe for drinking. The multivariate analysis identified the common anthropogenic source and existence of studied metals. Heavy metal pollution index (HPI) and heavy metal evaluation index (HEI) indicated significant contamination of water. The HQ and HI through ingestion and dermal contact were <1 except for the adult, whereas HQ (only for As) and HI value through ingestion was >1 indicating an unacceptable risk of non-carcinogenic effects on public health. Carcinogenic risk through ingestion (CR_ing) indicated that consumption of water from Pasur River estuary may develop cancer risk of Cd. Therefore, strict rules and regulations must be adopted to reduce water contamination of this tidal river from anthropogenic sources for improving the health of this riverine ecosystem.

In-vitro evaluation of antifungal effects of botanical extracts against Colletotrichum lindemuthianum causing anthracnose of beans

Netra Prasad Pokharel

Anthracnose of beans caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is considered to be the most devastating disease of legumes causing considerable loss in yield and quality every year. Five distinct medicinal plants viz. neem, mugwort, garlic, ginger, and wild sage were collected to evaluate their capacity to inhibit the mycelial growth of C. lindemuthianum in in-vitro conditions. An experiment was conducted in the plant pathology lab of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Paklihawa, Rupandehi, Nepal in 2022 using Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Among five different botanicals, maximum growth inhibition (100%) was observed in garlic at 10% concentration followed by ginger (81.15%) while minimum growth inhibition (36.58%) was observed in wild sage at 10% concentration. Garlic, neem, and mugwort show greater efficiency at lower concentration while ginger and wild sage have increased efficiency with an increase in concentration. So, the use of botanical fungicides has greater efficiency over control. The use of eco-friendly biological fungicides over hazardous chemicals should be the alternative way to reduce environmental degradation and health hazards.

Effect of gamma radiation on fungal load decontamination of marketed spices

Mahfuzur Rahman — 2023-12-25

In this study, the effects of gamma radiation on the decontamination of fungus, physicochemi-cal properties, and molecular analysis of Aspergillus spp. of common spices for storage were evaluated. After being irradiated with gamma doses of 0, 2, 4, and 6 kGy and sealed in glass vials, the spices were stored at room temperature for 180 days. Among the tested spice samples, chili, turmeric, and black pepper powder showed the highest presence of fungal contamination compared to cumin, coriander, garlic, and ginger samples. Microscopy was used to identify a total of 48 isolates, of which 11 were Mucor, 25 were Penicillium, and 12 were Aspergillus. By polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, a total of 12 Aspergillus genera were identified among them: 5 in black pepper and 7 in red chili. The gamma radiation also reduced the number of microbes compared to the control group. The best gamma radiation doses were found to kill the organ-isms in the studied spices. These were 6 kGy for red chili, 4 kGy for turmeric and black pepper, and 2 kGy for cumin, coriander, garlic, and ginger. Measurements of the physicochemical parameters were not significantly impacted by the 180-day exposure to gamma radiation; however, the number of fungi drastically decreased. Gamma radiation has been explored as an effective method for decontaminating spices, offering a promising solution for ensuring food safety and quality.

Spawning season and size at first sexual maturity of freshwater mussel Lamellidens marginalis (Lamarck, 1819) in the Brahmaputra River, Bangladesh

Arun Chandra Barman — 2023-09-25

Spawning season and size at first sexual maturity of Freshwater mussel Lamellidens marginalis was studied from the specimens collected from Brahmaputra River, Mymensingh district, Bangladesh from July 2015 to June 2016. The present study has investigated sex ratios, gamogenetic cycle, condition index, and size at first sexual maturity by means of standard histological procedures. The results indicated no significant difference in the overall sex ratio (M: F = 1:1.3). The qualitative analysis of gonad developmental stages has provided confirmation of the presence of a yearly reproductive cycle characterized by prolonged gonadal activity. The highest percentages of ripe gonads were observed in July for males (77.78%) and August for females (53.85%). The spawning activity was highest in October for males (50%) and November for females (83.33%). Furthermore, ripening and spawning stages in different shell lengths ranged from 58–63 to 88–93 mm for both sexes. The findings from the qualitative observation of gonad developmental stages, a single annual spawning peak observed between October and November. A statistically significant correlation was detected between the average condition index of male and female. Males reached sexual maturity at smaller standard length (SL₅₀ = 63.25 mm) compared to females (SL₅₀ = 72.10 mm SL). Acquired knowledge regarding the present state and distinctive gonad developmental characteristics of L. marginalis will aid fisheries management professionals and conservation biologist in the effective management of this particular species of mussels in the waters of Bangladesh.

PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY ANALYSIS OF WHEAT UNDER IRRIGATED, HEAT STRESS, AND HEAT DROUGHT ENVIRONMENT

Radhakrishna Bhandari

Heat stress and drought are the major abiotic stress of wheat. It reduces yield by affecting growth, physiology, and yield-attributing parameters. To evaluate the stress-tolerance of wheat genotypes, a field experiment was carried out in the western region of Nepal at Bhairahawa, Rupandehi using an alpha lattice design comprising twenty elite wheat lines under irrigated, heat stress, and heat drought environments. The combined and AMMI model ANOVA revealed that traits, days to booting (DTB), days to heading (DTH), days to anthesis (DTA), plant height (Ph), Spike weight (SW), thousand-grain weight (TGW), and grain yield (GY) were significantly affected by the environments (p≤0.05). The yield of wheat was reduced by 20% and 39% under heat stress and heat drought environments, respectively. AMMI revealed BL 4919, NL 1417, and NL 1420 were the adaptive genotypes under irrigated, heat stress, and heat drought environment, respectively. whereas which won where (WWW) model revealed, BL 4919, NL 1368 and Bhrikuti to be adaptive under irrigated, heat stress, and heat drought environments, respectively. From Mean Vs. Stability; NL 1412, and NL 1369 were identified as high-yielding stable genotypes, and NL 1386, and NL 1350 as low-yielding stable genotypes. Bhrikuti was the ideal genotype for cultivation across all tested environments. The stable genotypes were found to be NL 1386 and 1412 from the WWW model and NL 1386 and NL 1413 from the AMMI model which could further be evaluated to release as a variety.

ASSESSING SPRING SEASON RICE’S PERFORMANCE USING LEAF COLOUR CHART FOR NITROGEN MANAGEMENT

A field experiment was carried out at Baradi, Tanahun in order to determine the effect of fertilizer management using Leaf Colour Chart on growth and yield of rice grown during the spring season of 2022. The research was laid out as a Randomized Complete Block Design with 5 treatments and 4 replications. Treatments included in the research were Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) use with basal dose application, Purely LCC-guided application, recommended split application of fertilizer, farmers’ practice and control with no application of nitrogenous fertilizers. Parameters like plant height, number of leaves, number of tillers, panicle length, grain and straw yield, sterility percentage and harvest index were observed. MS Excel and R-Studio were used for data entry and statistical analysis respectively. Results revealed that the plants with the most optimum performance belonged to treatments with pure LCC use for almost all parameters. The highest grain yield (6.6050 ton/ha) was found to be in pure LCC treatment and the yield of basal dose + LCC treatment (6.577 ton/ha) was found to be statistically similar to it. Both of the treatments involving LCC were found to be significantly better than that of recommended practice (4.630 ton/ha) and farmers’ practice (4.560 ton/ha). The lowest grain yield (3.7125 ton/ha) was observed in the control plot. The greatest growth and yield parameters were found to be better in LCC-guided fertilizer management methods, out of which pure LCC use gave a greater grain yield than basal application + LCC. So, the pure LCC based fertilizer management was found to be the best practice for the spring rice in Baradi, Tanahun.

An overview of foliar application of macro and micronutrients on the yield of maize in Ghana

Georgina Asare — 2023-12-25

Maize is a major staple crop in Ghana which plays a significant role in consumer diets. For some time now, the farming methods used by the farmers have been negatively affected by components such as climate, soil nutrient depletion, and constant monocropping resulting in the adoption of inorganic fertilizers. Conventional fertilizers supplied through soils are subjected to slow release of nutrients, leaching, fixation, surface runoff, erosion, and volatilization, which hinders optimal plant growth and yield. Foliar application of fertilizer offers an alternative method of fertilizer application that supplies nutrients directly to the stomata and cuticle of the leaves of maize thereby enabling rapid absorption and enhancing crop vigor. The The main objective of this paper is to review research papers which explores the potential of foliar application of vital nutrients – phosphorus (P), sulphur (S), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) – to improve the yield of maize crop. According to the literature gathered, foliar fertilization in combination with soil applied fertilizers emerges as a promising strategy, particularly in addressing nutrient deficiencies and stress scenarios. The efficient uptake of nutrients through leaves, as opposed to traditional soil-based approaches, holds promise for augmenting yield and enhancing protein content in maize crops. Notably, prior research highlights the efficacy of foliar-applied P, S, Zn, and Fe in significantly boosting grain yield. By understanding the complex mechanisms of nutrient absorption and the advantages of foliar application, the agricultural sector can explore innovative avenues to surmount soil-related challenges and achieve sustainable crop development.

Nutritional, ecological and livelihood significance of Moringa oleifera: A review

Kishor Atreya — 2023-09-25

The potential ecological and livelihood benefits of Moringa plants are often overlooked. There is a need to raise awareness and encourage farmers and decision makers to adopt Moringa on marginal and degraded lands with changing climate risks. Previous studies have focused mainly on the pharmacological uses and oil content from a commercial point of view and failed to explore its ecological benefits and economic potential to address the growing problems of global food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate risks. Planting Moringa on unused and marginal land can improve soil fertility, food production, and resilience to climate change, offering a significant opportunity for diversification of livelihoods and economic development in the changing climate. Henceforth, this study compiles scientific evidence through a systematic literature search to highlight the ecological benefits and livelihood opportunities associated with the use of Moringa. Initially, we retrieved 206 pieces of global literature and, through the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted information from 22 articles. Various studies have consistently shown that Moringa leaves are highly nutritious and that their consumption can combat food and nutrition insecurity in low-income countries. Its seeds offer the potential for the commercial production of oils with heart-healthy properties. The oil is stable and suitable for cooking and its quality varies depending on location and environmental factors. When included in the diet, Moringa leaves improve the quality and quantity of goat milk and support the growth of fish in aquaculture. The extract of Moringa provides versatile uses in water purification, offering sustainable solutions to water pollution. We thus conclude that Moringa's diverse applications can contribute to the livelihood enhancement and economic well-being of poor and marginalized farmers in low-income countries. Planting Moringa trees in abandoned croplands and other degraded areas can have positive ecological and socioeconomic outcomes for rural communities. However, to support smallholders in low-income countries, favorable policies, field-based research evidences, and products development are crucial.

Utilizing geographic information system and indexing to evaluate irrigation suitability of groundwater in Kalihati Upazila, Bangladesh

Md. Touhidul Islam — 2023-09-25

The aim of this research was to evaluate groundwater quality for irrigation in Kalihati Upazila, Bangladesh, a region that is significantly reliant on groundwater for crop development, especially during dry periods. By combining hydrochemical analysis and Geographic Information System (GIS), the research examined the physicochemical attributes and their spatial distribution. Fifteen groundwater samples from various locations were analyzed to measure parameters such as sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), soluble sodium percentage (SSP), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), magnesium adsorption ratio (MAR), electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), Kelly's ratio (KR), permeability index (PI), and potential salinity (PS). The pH of the groundwater ranged between 5.51 and 7.53, indicating slightly acidic to moderately alkaline conditions suited for irrigation. The EC ranged between 115.7 and 458 μS/cm, mostly falling into the "excellent" or "good" categories. Groundwater displayed irrigation suitability with TDS below 182 ppm and low SAR values, but variable RSC and MAR values indicated localized water quality issues. Based on the irrigation water quality index, all samples were within the "permissible" range. However, GIS-generated maps showed disparities in groundwater quality across the study area. Correlation matrices revealed significant links between various factors. Both the Piper and Gibbs diagrams displayed a prevalent Ca-HCO₃ groundwater type influenced by geological formations. Overall, the study confirmed groundwater's appropriateness for irrigation while recommending periodic evaluations due to a few uncertainties. In conclusion, the study found that hydrochemical analysis, GIS mapping, and correlation matrices reveal groundwater quality and spatial trends, allowing for sustainable water resource management and agricultural advancement.

Integrated approach for the management of common bean rust (Uromyces appendiculatus) under field conditions

Sagar Bhandari — 2023-09-25

A field experiment was conducted to test the efficacy of different management practices and fungicide application timings for common bean rust management in Chitwan, Nepal. It was conducted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two factors: management practices (Azoxystrobin, Trichoderma viride, maize intercropping + Trichoderma viride, Neem + Garlic extracts, and inoculated and untreated controls) and fungicide application timings (8 days after inoculation and 3 days after inoculation), each with three replications. The minimum disease severity was found with azoxystrobin, which was at par with neem + garlic extract and maize intercropping + Trichoderma at 50 days after inoculation (DAI). The maximum number of rust pustules per cm² was observed in the control plots (7.56), followed by Trichoderma (4.79) at 50 DAI. The maximum necrotic colonies (%) were observed with the control (36.88%), followed by Trichoderma (25.15%), while the effects of other treatments were at par at 40 DAI. Maize intercropping with Trichoderma resulted in a maximum plant height (201.56 cm), which was at par with azoxystrobin (197.81 cm). The plants treated with azoxystrobin showed maximum green pod yield at one picking (2411.35 g) which was at par with maize intercropping + Trichoderma and neem + garlic extracts. Rust was controlled more effectively when the fungicides were sprayed at 4 DAI than 8 DAI. The maximum disease control was observed with Azoxystrobin; however, as other treatments also had comparable effects, an integrated approach could be adopted for the sustainable management of common bean rust.

AGROMORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF NEPALESE WHEAT GENOTYPES UNDER ABIOTIC STRESS CONDITIONS

Radhakrishna Bhandari

The yield and yield-attributing parameters of wheat are influenced by the environment. To identify the direct and indirect association of quantitative traits of wheat genotypes under high-yielding irrigated and low-yielding heat stress and late drought environment, correlation and path analysis was performed under eleven quantitative traits from the data of twenty wheat genotypes from the field experiment conducted at serpentine alpha lattice design at the agronomy farm of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Paklihawa campus, Rupandehi, Nepal. The grain yield of wheat was found to be negatively associated with days to heading (DTH) and days to booting (DTB) under all tested environments. Plant height (Ph) was found to have a significant (p≤0.05) negative association with grain yield under irrigated but a significantly positive association was found across heat-stressed and late drought environments. DTB, DTH, and Ph were found to have a direct influence on the grain yield of wheat under all tested environments. For the breeding program, the selection of dwarf genotypes which are earlier in booting and heading should be promoted under irrigated environment whereas taller genotypes which are earlier in booting and heading should be promoted under heat stress and heat drought environment.

Culture technique of Tengra (Mystus vittatus) with short cycle fish species in the drought prone northern region of Bangladesh

Khandaker Rashidul Hasan — 2023-09-25

The present study was to assess and evaluate the culture potential of Tengra with short-cycle species in the seasonal water bodies of farmers’ fields and disseminate the cultural technologies in a different part of the country. The study was conducted in farmers’ ponds located in the northern region of Bangladesh from May 2017 to September 2018 to find out the most suitable combination of Tengra (Mystus vittatus) with other short-cycle fishes. For this reason, combination viz; tengra+pabda+magur+rajpunti+GIFT was considered for trial (with three treatments/combinations and three replications of each) in seasonal farmers’ ponds at 18 upazilas of the greater Rangpur region to evaluate the growth and yield performance of tengra, M. vittatus under a polyculture system. Three different stocking densities of Tengra viz., 500, 600, and 700 with (100 Magur+10 Rajpunti+5 GIFT) were treated as T₁, T_2, and T₃ respectively. After 5 months of the culture period, (T₁) showed significantly (P<0.05) higher production of Tengra (2,035 kg ha^-1), total production of fishes (5,592 kg ha^-1), and benefit-cost ratio (1.60) among the treatments These combinations were chosen for multi-location testing (MLT) in different locations of the northern region of Bangladesh. Three locations such as Domar (Niphamari); Kaligonj (Lalmonirhat) and Niphamari Sadar were selected for demonstration. After 5 months of multi-location testing the trials with Tengra as the main species, the highest production of Tengra (2252 kg ha^-1), total production of fishes (5656 kg ha^-1), and benefit-cost ratio (1.65) were found in Kaligonj with significant (P<0.05) difference among three locations. Thus, the results of multi-location trials clearly authenticated the previous findings. Therefore, the technologies of short-cycle fish species should be disseminated to fish farmers and entrepreneurs throughout the semi-arid zone of Bangladesh.

Screening of rice genotypes for blast resistance in Gokarna-Lalitpur

Pratiksha Sharma

Rice (Oryza sativa) is the major cereal crop of Nepal which is crop belonging to the Gramineae family being faced by the devastating rice blast disease caused by Pyricularia oryzae Cavara. A rice disease screening nursery trial was conducted in Gokarna, Lalitpur in 2021 and 2022, consisting of 163 genotypes in 2021 and 181 genotypes in 2022, including two susceptible checks, Taichung-176 and Manjushree-2. Disease scoring was performed qualitatively at two stages: first at tillering for leaf blast and secondly at maturity for neck blast, following the rice standard evaluation system (SES) scale (IRRI, 2002). A total 163 genotypes were scored in 2021 and 181 genotypes were screened in 2022. Among them 114 genotypes were tested in both the years, while 49 and 64 genotypes were unique to the year 2021 and 2022 respectively. Altogether, 227 genotypes were screened for blast resistance in two years. Out of 114 recurring genotypes, only 16 genotypes for Neck Blast and 35 for Leaf Blast showed same resistant level in both the years. The information revealed from this study could be helpful for rice leaf blast disease management and utilizing these resistant and moderately resistant genotypes for further resistance breeding program.

Domestication performance of the striped snakehead Channa striata fry in pond conditions using different diets

Md. Rabiul Awal — 2023-09-25

The experiment was conducted to assess the performance of growth, rate of survival and FCR of the different feed types in Channa striata fry at the freshwater station of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute. The experiment was undertaken with 3 treatments (T₁, T₂, and T₃) and each having three replications (R₁, R₂, and R₃). Each treatment included the provision of three different feed types, with a stocking density of 1,00,000 individuals per hectare. Fry in T₁ was fed a commercial feed that contained 40–35% protein at 40–10% of total body weight. In T₂, 40–10% of the body weight of commercial feed, which included fish paste, was given. Contrarily, in T₃ live fish fry and chopped fish were provided at 30–10% of total body weight. The mean weight gains in T₁, T₂, and T₃ were 128.7, 140.7, and 162.3g, respectively with percentage weight gains were 81279, 87867, and 100999 respectively, as well as SGR, were 3.34%, 3.37%, and 3.45%, respectively. T₁ revealed the lowest amount of weight gain, weight gain percent and SGR, whereas T₃ revealed the highest. The mean survival rates at T₁, T₂, and T₃, respectively, were 45.5%, 71.8%, and 82.67%, whereas the FCR values were 2.26, 2.05, and 1.79. T₁ had the lowest survival rate and FCR values, while T₃ showed the highest. These
experiment findings revealed that chopped fish and live fish fry had a more optimistic effect on the survival and growth of the C. striata fry compared with other commercial feeds.

Seed Certification System in Nepal

Concept of seed certification was originated in Sweden during twentieth century by visiting agronomist and plant breeder to the progressive farmers, who took seeds from them, primarily with the objective of educating them on how to avoid contamination. This initiated field inspection process.

Seed certification is the legal process to maintain the high quality seed and make its availability for the distribution. The process was started first in wheat in Nepal. Seed Act (1988) has been enacted for the system.

Seed certification system is a legally sectioned system for quality control of seed during seed multiplication and production. It is a scientific and systematically designed process to secure, maintain, multiply and make available seeds of notified and related varieties to the farmers. Seed certification through field and laboratory inspections and continuous pedigree records provide a most practical and reliable method of verifying genetic identity and purity certified seed is the starting point to successful crop as well as an important risk management tool. Certified seed is the progeny of foundation seed and its production is supervised and approved by certification agency. The seed of this class is normally produced by the state and national seeds cooperation and private seed companies on the farms of progressive growers.

Reproductive biology and length-weight relationship of the Pool Barb Puntius sophore (Hamilton, 1832) in Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Md. Rabiul Awal — 2023-09-25

The study was conducted within the Freshwater station of the Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute in Mymensingh from November 2019 to October 2020. The main objectives were to acquire additional knowledge regarding length-weight connection, condition factor, sex ratio, gonadosomatic index, and fecundity of P. sophore. It was possible to determine the spawning season each month by comparing the levels of the gonadosomatic index for the two sexes. Both sexes of the P. sophore species showed negative allometric growth, as indicated by the length-weight relationships of TW=0.0165TL^2.852 for females and TW=0.035TL^2.956 for males. For females, the average condition factor was 1.17±0.096, while for males, it was 3.24±0.19. Both times, the condition factor's value was high (>1), demonstrating that both sexes are in good health. From collected fish, 147 (55.12%) of the 264 fish samples that were taken were females, whereas 117 (44.88%) were males (Females: Males=1:0.82). The chi-square test showed that the male-to-female ratio during the sample months was not significantly different from 1:1 (χ2= 0.15, p>0.05). The spawning season extended from May through July, with June representing both sexes' peak spawning time. According to the study, the month of June had the highest absolute fecundity, which was 7829 and the absolute fecundity value was found to be lowest in the month of October 803 with an average value of about 3560 throughout the study period. For the management and protection of this species, this data will be valuable to researchers and those who decide on fisheries policy.

A Review on Study on Cyanoremediation of pollutants from aquatic bodies: A Green Approach

Amina Jafri

Dumping of discarded effluents from industries, agricultural runoff, and from other anthropogenic activities leads to aquatic pollution which is the reason for the deterioration of the water quality of any aquatic ecosystem and as well as adversely impacts human health. Green technology involves microorganisms for the sequestration of heavy metals and organic pollutants in the form of dyes and pesticides. Few heterocystous and non-heterocystous cyanobacteria like Anabaena variabilis, Westeillopsis prolifica etc. have the potential for remediating wastewater from industrial effluents, municipal discharge, and crude-oil degradation.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY OF BANANA

Lokendra Yogi

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different packaging materials on the shelf life and quality of banana fruits. A laboratory experiment was laid out at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and animal science college in the month of March 2023. The experiment was conducted in a complete random design (CRD) with 5 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments were t1: control, t2: banana leaf, t3: straw, t4: polythene bag, t5: card box. The highest physiological weight loss (27.677gm) was recorded at the control (unpackage) whereas the lowest weight loss (12.61gm) was recorded from the polythene bag. The maximum value of TSS was recorded on fruits treated in a polyethylene bag (15.325 ˚Brix) whereas the minimum value of TSS was recorded in the control (12.725 ˚Brix). Titrable acidity was found to be highest in polythene bags (0.318) and lowest in cardboard and control (0.2437), titrable acidity decreasing as the ripening advances. Pulp firmness shows a decreasing pattern. The changes were observed faster on control all days, and a slower decrease in pulp firmness was observed in the polythene bag. As ripening advances banana pulp thickness shows an increased trend over the storage period. On 16 days higher pulp thickness was found in the control (2.78cm), whereas lower pulp thickness was found in the polythene bag (2.70cm). As seeing the overall trend the pulp thickness seems to be increased with time. As ripening advances banana peel thickness shows decreased trend over the storage period. On 16 days higher peel thickness was found in polythene (0.444cm) whereas lower peel thickness was found in the control (0.41cm). Therefore, it is clear that banana fruits packaged in polythene bags demonstrated remarkable quality and shelf life when compared to alternative packaging materials.

Effect of supplementing bacterial probiotics on microbial protein synthesis, blood indices and rumen ciliate protozoa population of lactating crossbred cattle in Nepal

Tulasi Prasad Paudel — 2023-09-25

In recent times, the dairy industry in Nepal has been recognized as a burgeoning agro-industry, successfully meeting the domestic demand for fluid milk. Nevertheless, further efforts are necessary to achieve self-sufficiency in dairy products. To enhance milk production, alongside breed improvement and health management initiatives, nutritional interventions have been identified as crucial. In this context, a study was conducted in Rampur, Chitwan, focusing on the supplementation of diverse strains of bacterial probiotics in lactating crossbred cattle to evaluate their effects on microbial protein synthesis, animal health assessed through blood indices, and changes in rumen fauna. The findings of the study revealed that the inclusion of bacterial probiotics resulted in notable improvements in the overall excretion of purine derivatives. Specifically, the individual excretion of allantoin, xanthine, and hypoxanthine significantly increased (p<0.01) in the group supplemented with Lactobacillus acidophilus, while uric acid levels remained unchanged. Consequently, microbial nitrogen supply and absorption also showed a significant increase within the same group. However, blood hematological and biochemical parameters remained unaffected across all treatment groups. Moreover, the supplementation did not induce any notable changes in the individual or overall population of rumen ciliate protozoa. The study underscores that the use of L. acidophilus can enhance the overall protein economy of the rumen, thus potentially reducing production costs by substituting expensive sources of dietary protein for lactating crossbred dairy cows.

A, A Study on Family Farm-Enterprise of Producers in Rural Communities of the Gambia

Saikou E. Sanyang

The economic growth of any nation highly depends on agriculture and Gambia is not exceptional. Agriculture contributes 33% to GDP, provides food, and nutrition security, income generation, creates employment, reduces poverty, and improves the living standard of farmers. The objective of this research findings is to assess the contribution of family enterprises and problems associated with the business entity. The methodology of this finding is mainly on purposive sampling method based on observation and experience of field activities. From the research findings, the North Bank Region scored D2,709,225.00 while West Coast Region scored D910,250.00 while the lowest income earned was the Central River Region with D279,700.00 respectively. In addition, the situation of family enterprise in agriculture is associated with difficult working conditions, limited access to knowledge, land ownership, inadequate access to finance, and a negative image of farming, pushing youths out of business and restricting the active participation of entrepreneurs. The government has formulated national policies and strategies to improve the business environment, increase access to capital, and support innovation and capacity-building for farmers. In conclusion, family enterprises can boost the local economy of rural communities and thus the finding recommends, government create easy access to finance, market, and training on business management skills for the family farm enterprises engaged in agriculture.

Profitability and prospects of crop insurance of some selected crops in Kishoreganj district of Bangladesh

Nowshin Tabassom Prome — 2023-09-25

Crop insurance is an essential tool for managing risk in agriculture. The primary goal of this study was to investigate how farmers felt about crop insurance and their willingness to pay for it. . The study was conducted to profile the socioeconomic characteristics, measure the profitability of crops, assess farmer’s willingness to pay crop insurance, and determine the factors that influence willingness to pay (WTP). A total of 107 farmers were chosen at random from Kishoreganj district in Bangladesh. The data were collected through a field survey using a semi-structured interview schedule. Karl Pearson’s correlation coefficient method was used. The study found that the majority of farmers have only had primary education or less. About one-third of the respondents could make savings of ten to twenty thousand taka each year. The most profitable crops were vegetables, jute, and wheat. Rice’s profitability, however, was hardly positive. Factors such as age, education, occupation, net income, and cultivable area have a positive correlation with the WTP for crop insurance for all crops except rice. However, the uptake of crop insurance is still relatively low in Bangladesh, and more efforts are needed to increase awareness and promote the benefits of crop insurance among farmers.

Different stocking densities and species combinations effects the growth and production in carp polyculture

Md. Hashibur Rahman — 2023-09-25

A comparative experiment was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of different carp species i.e., Rohu (Labeo rohita), Catla (Catla catla), Mrigal (Cirrhinus cirrhosus), and Silver Carp (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix) with variable stocking densities. Three treatments each with three replicates were maintained and the stocking densities of carps were 40, 80, and 120 fish/decimal in T₁, T₂, and T₃, respectively. The stocking ratio of Rohu, Catla, Mrigal, and Silver Carp was 2:1:2:1. The experimental diet included rice bran (25%), wheat bran (25%), fish meal (25%), and mustard oil cake (25%), with a total protein content of 28%. This dietary supplement was administered twice daily. The fish were supplemented with 5% of their body weight for the first month, 4.5% for the next three months, and 2% for the final two months. The water quality parameters i.e., pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and transparency were measured every 14 days interval. In T₁, Silver Carp obtained the highest weight (188.86±17.86g) followed by Mrigal (106.78±14.23g), Catla (74.0±3.80g), and Rohu (67.72±6.03g). In T₁, Silver Carp also attained the highest length at 26.33±0.63 cm, followed by Catla at 14.40±2.10 cm, Mrigal at 14.09±0.89 cm, and Rohu at 14.07±0.59 cm, respectively. Nevertheless, both weight gain and length gain were lowest for all species in T₃. The highest SGR% was found in T₁ for Silver Carp (3.22±0.06), whereas the lowest SGR% was found in T₃ for Catla (1.69±0.06). In addition, T₂ yielded the highest production (3090.91±119.57 kg/ha), followed by T₃ (2949.80±137.67 kg/ha) and T₁ (2946.21± 129.00 kg/ha). The experimental findings suggest that, the stocking density of 80 fingerlings/decimal (T₂) yielded the highest production in carp polyculture.

EFFECT OF INTEGRATED NITROGEN MANAGEMENT ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF OKRA AT SUNDARBAZAR, LAMJUNG, NEPAL

Niraj K C

Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) is a crucial approach to improving the sustainable yield of crops in an environmentally friendly manner. In this study, a field experiment was conducted at Lamjung Campus, Sundarbazar, Lamjung, from March 2022 to June 2022 to investigate the effect of integrated nitrogen management on the growth and yield of okra (cv. Arka Anamika) A randomized full block design was utilized in the investigation, with seven treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of a control (T₁) and six other combinations of nitrogen sources, with each treatment receiving 50% of its nitrogen from chemical fertilizers and 50% from organic sources. The amount of organic manure was calculated based on the nitrogen content of the manures. Farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure, vermicompost, mustard cake, and goat manure were tested as organic sources. The effect of treatment combinations was evaluated in terms of plant height, stem diameter, leaf numbers, days to first flower opening, days to first fruit maturity, number of pods per plant, length, and diameter of pods, and yield ha^-1. The findings revealed that integrated nitrogen management strategies had a substantial impact on okra growth and output. Among all the treatments, 50% recommended N through chemical fertilizer + 50% N through poultry manure (T₄), which gave the highest number of pods per plant (19.87), yield per ha (13.59 t/ha), and shortest days taken to first flowering (46.54 days) and plant height (54.80 cm), followed by T₂, while the control treatment (T₁) yielded the lowest. These findings suggest that the application of 50% recommended N through chemical fertilizer + 50% N through poultry manure is an effective strategy for obtaining a high yield of okra in the study area.

IDENTIFICATION OF HEAT-TOLERANT WHEAT GENOTYPES USING STRESS TOLERANCE INDICES

Anjali Dhakal

The production and productivity of wheat are mainly limited by terminal heat stress in the South Asian regions of the world. The limited production of wheat has posed a significant threat to the food and nutritional security of the world. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the heat stress tolerance of twenty elite wheat lines comprising fifteen Nepal lines, two Bhairahawa lines, and three commercial checks viz; Bhrikuti, Gautam, and RR 21. The field experiment was carried out using alpha lattice design at the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Paklihawa campus, Bhairahawa under irrigated and heat stress conditions. Heat stress environment was created by sowing the genotypes one month later as compared to irrigated and the evaluation was done using seven stress tolerance indices. The mean grain yield of wheat was reduced by 45.29% under heat stress conditions as compared to irrigated conditions. The correlation revealed the grain yield under irrigated (Yp) had a highly significant positive association with TOL(0.657), MP (0.916), GMP (0.917), and STI (0.836) and the grain yield under heat stress condition (Ys) had a significant positive correlation with YSI (0.694), MP (0.855), GMP (0.853), and STI (0.927). The grain yield under both conditions (Yp and Ys) had a significant positive association with MP, GMP, and STI (p<0.01), so these indices can be used for the evaluation of high-yielding heat-stress tolerant genotypes. The principal component analysis revealed NL1402, NL1488, and NL1447 were the heat-tolerant genotype and can be recommended to increase the production and productivity of wheat in the tropical region of Nepal.

Effects of substituting plant-based protein sources for fish meal in the diet of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Md. Hashibur Rahman — 2023-09-25

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutritional adequacy and suitability of rice polish and mustard oil cake as protein sources in the diet of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). To assess the growth performance and feed utilization of Nile Tilapia, three diets containing rice polish (0, 8, and 16%) and mustard oil cake (8, 16, and 24%) were formulated and fed to the fish over a period of 60 days. According to the findings, the growth performance tended to decline as the levels of rice polish and mustard oil cake increased. The control diet (30% Fish meal) resulted in the highest weight gain (373.79±49.78%), whereas the diet (20% Fish meal) resulted in the least weight gain (341.24±27.23%). The specific growth rate (SGR) followed the same pattern, and there were no statistically significant differences in SGR between diets (p>0.05). At the end of this trial, the feed intake (FI) of the various diets ranged between 32.37 g and 37.78 g per fish. Although feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were not significantly different among diets (p>0.05), feed intake decreased as the incorporation of rice polish increased.

Alternative protein sources as a replacement of fish meal in the diet of Oreochromis niloticus: A review

Md. Hashibur Rahman — 2023-09-25

The farming of Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) has conquered the significant popularity in tropical and subtropical regions, primarily due to its remarkable faster growth rate. The growth performance of the species makes it an attractive choice for many fish farmers. Additionally, Tilapia exhibits a commendable resilience to disease, further enhancing its appeal as a farming option. Furthermore, the low trophic feeding levels of Tilapia contribute to its desirability, making it an efficient and sustainable choice for nutrition-conscious individuals. Due to the increasing prevalence of aquaculture production, there has been a significant surge in the demand for fishmeal. This particular protein source has relished the widespread popularity for many years and its demand has now more than doubled. The current growth rate of the aquaculture industry is outpacing the available fishmeal supplies, which are insufficient to meet the demand. According to scientific studies, it has been found that fishmeal can be effectively replaced with alternative sources without compromising the overall performance of the fish. This article presents a compelling case for the practicality of replacing fishmeal with alternative protein sources in the diet of Tilapia. These alternatives include terrestrial animal by-products, oilseed plants, single-cell proteins, and protein-rich plant derivatives. In order to mitigate the environmental impact of the fishmeal industry, it is crucial to implement measures that can effectively address this concern. Moreover, it is crucial to highlight the significance of these sources from a nutritional perspective. The blood meal, meat and bone meal are highly beneficial options for incorporating essential amino acids and protein into the diet of Tilapia. These alternatives offer a rich source of nutrients that can effectively replace fishmeal. The minerals instead of amino acids could improve plant protein performance. Due to inconsistent findings, aquatic plants and single-cell proteins in Tilapia meals should be carefully considered. Fishmeal replacers need biological and economic analyses. Long-term evaluations should be done in practical culture systems rather than labs. In conclusion, it is imperative for Tilapia producers to contemplate the utilization of alternative dietary sources, as extensive research has demonstrated the scientific feasibility of substituting the fishmeal in the diet of Tilapia.

Effect of nutrient solution concentrations on the growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties grown from apical rooted cutting in a hydroponic system

Winnie Chebet Wambugu — 2023-09-25

This study evaluated the effects of nutrient stock solution concentrations on the growth and yield of potato varieties grown from apical rooted cuttings (ARCs). A greenhouse experiment was conducted at the Climate and Water Smart Agriculture Center at Egerton University, Kenya. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot arrangement in randomized complete block design, where the main plot comprised three nutrient concentrations, i.e., 75% (N75), 100% (N100) and 125% (N125) of the ADC-Molo’ nutrient formulation. The subplots were allocated to four potato varieties (Shangi, Wanjiku, Nyota and Unica). The results showed that there were no significant (p<0.05) interaction effects of the nutrient stock solution concentrations application rates on the growth attributes of ARCs. The main effects of N125 gave the tallest plants (32.29cm) at 60 days after planting (DAP), highest normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) (0.60) at 75 DAP, plant survival rate (82.15%) at 75 DAP, and fresh weight (79.04g) and dry matter (31.26%) of aboveground biomass (AGB). Nyota variety produced taller plants (26.90cm) at 60 DAP, gave higher NDVI values (0.53) at 75 DAP, and higher fresh weight (64.87g) and dry matter (27.60%) of the AGB. Significant (p<0.05) interactions were observed in the yield parameters. The interaction between N125 and Nyota (11.33) and Wanjiku (10.67) gave the highest number of minitubers, the highest yields were obtained between the interaction of N125 and Unica (16.38t/ha). Therefore, to achieve high growth and yields of ARCs under hydroponic system, seed potato producers should use 125% of the ADC Molo nutrient formulation.

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY OF BANANA

Lokendra Yogi

An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of different packaging materials on the shelf life and quality of banana fruits. A laboratory experiment was laid out at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and animal science college in the month of march 2023. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design (RBD) with 5 treatments and 4 replications. The treatments were t1: control, t2: banana leaf, t3: straw, t4: polythene bag, t5: card box. The highest physiological weight loss (27.677gm) was recorded at the control (unpackage) whereas the lowest weight loss (12.61gm) was recorded from the polythene bag. The maximum value of TSS was recorded on fruits treated in a polyethylene bag (15.325 ˚Brix) whereas the minimum value of TSS was recorded in the control (12.725 ˚Brix). Titrable acidity was found to be highest in polythene bags (0.318) and lowest in cardboard and control (0.2437), titrable acidity decreasing as the ripening advances. Pulp firmness shows a decreasing pattern. The changes were observed faster on control all days, and a slower decrease in pulp firmness was observed in the polythene bag. As ripening advances banana pulp thickness shows an increased trend over the storage period. On 16 days higher pulp thickness was found in the control (2.78cm), whereas lower pulp thickness was found in the polythene bag (2.70cm). As seeing the overall trend the pulp thickness seems to be increased with time. As ripening advances banana peel thickness shows decreased trend over the storage period. On 16 days higher peel thickness was found in polythene (0.444cm) whereas lower peel thickness was found in the control (0.41cm). Therefore, it is clear that banana fruits packaged in polythene bags demonstrated remarkable quality and shelf life when compared to alternative packaging materials.

Urea Molasses Mineral Block: Boon for Ruminants

Ishowari Datta Pandeya Eshor

Nepal is an agricultural country. Agriculture plays a vital role in Nepalese economy. It contributes 39.4% of share to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and supports near about 65.7% of the population (MOAC, 2004). Among the agricultural commodities, livestock sector plays significant role in the agricultural development and economy of the country. It contributes 31% in the national Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (AGDP) (CBS, 2004). Milk forms a bulk share in livestock products (MOAC, 2005/06).

Among various sub-sectors of Nepalese economy, milk production is an important area. The total animal population in Nepal is 42,014,947 which produces 1,195,931 metric ton of milk every year (MOAC, 2004) in Nepal, the total milk production from cattle and buffalo per year is around 1,312,140 metric ton in which the dairy cattle produces around 385,290 metric ton of milk and buffalo produces about 926,850 metric ton of milk (MOAC,2005/06). The population of dairy cattle and buffalo is estimated to be 903,376and 1,084,764 respectively (MOAC, 2005/06). Dairying account about two-third of the livestock section. The average growth of the milk production over the last decade is about 2.6% per year (MOAC, 2004). In 1995-96 Nepal introduced agriculture led economic growth or economic rural poverty alleviation by implanting the twenty-year agriculture perspective plan (APP) which envisages reaching as annual growth rate of 5.5 %.

Culture suitability of stinging catfish Heteropneustes fossilis in homestead tank: Selection of suitable stocking size

Md. Tofazuddin Ahamed — 2023-09-25

The present experiment was conducted for a period of 150 days to assess the effects of different stocking size on growth and production of stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) in three homestead cemented tanks (12×10×4 ft). Three different size groups of fish viz., 3.79±0.11, 3.09±0.13 and 2.53±0.18 cm was stocked at treatment T₁, T₂ and T₃, respectively at a stocking density of 5000 individuals/tank each with three replications. Fish were feed twice daily with floating feed containing 35-40% protein at the rate of 15-10% for 1^st 60 days, 8-6% for 2^nd 60 days and 5-2.50% for rest of the culture period. The water quality parameters were within the suitable ranges for the fish culture. Mean weight gain (g) of stinging catfish was 49.03 ± 1.04, 36.72 ± 1.59 and 28.09 ± 0.41g, specific growth rate was 1.76 ± 0.02, 1.70 ± 0.04 and 1.66 ± 0.05 %/day in T₁, T₂ and T₃, respectively. Food conversion ratio was 3.45 ± 0.82, 3.31 ± 0.10 and 3.30 ± 0.06 and survival rate were 90.67 ± 1.51, 88.20 ± 2.62 and 87.56 ± 1.26% in T₁, T₂ and T₃, respectively. Higher stocking size also resulted in a significantly higher economic output in the form of benefit cost ratio (BCR) at T₁(2.13 ± 0.05) and the lowest at T₃ (1.21 ± 0.03). The findings of the present study revealed that the highest weight gain and BCR was found in T₁ which dictates that larger stocking size has a significant impact on better production.

FOREIGN LABOUR MIGRATION AND ITS IMPACTS IN AGRICULTURE SECTOR OF NEPAL

Ishowari Datta Pandeya Eshor

This research review aims to investigate the impacts of foreign labor migration on Nepalese agriculture. Nepal’s agriculture sector is largely dependent on manual labor, but due to lack of opportunities prospects. The study will analyze the effects of this migration on agriculture, including charges in agriculture practices, production and productivity. The research will also explore the socio-economic impacts of labor migration on household and communities left behind by migrant workers. Migrants depart for a variety of locations which have been broadly classed as India and elsewhere for the purpose of this study, work, etc. To achieve these objectives, a mixed –methods approach will be used including surveys, interviews and focused group discussion. The findings of this study will provide insights into the implications of foreign labor migration on the agricultural sector and inform policy makers or how to manage this phenomenon in a way that benefits both migrant workers and the agricultural sector.

EFFECT OF ZINC AND BORON FOLIAR APPLICATION ON TOMATO GROWTH AND YIELD UNDER PROTECTED STRUCTURE

Dhurba Banjade

Tomato is the one of most important promising vegetables worldwide which is rich in minerals, vitamins, essential amino acids, sugars and dietary fibers. An experiment was conducted at Kernel Agro Farm in Buddhabhumi municipality, Kapilvastu,Nepal, in 2023 to optimize the concentration of zinc and boron foliar application on tomato growth and yield related attributes. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) experiment with five treatments and four replications was set up to explore the "Effect of zinc and boron foliar application on tomato growth and yield under protected structures." Treatments included control (no foliar spray), zinc 0.5%, zinc 1%, boron 0.25%, and boron 0.5%. A variety of observations were made, including plant height (cm), flower and fruit numbers, yield (ton/ha), and quality indicators (Total Soluble Solid, Titratable Acidity, and pH). The results revealed a noticeable difference between the treatments in terms of contributing features. Zinc 1% showed significantly superior outcomes for plant height (177 cm), flower and fruit production (63.1), number of fruit(61.3), and yield(40.57 tons/ha). Similar outcomes were also seen for boron at 0.25 percent as compared to zinc1% for yield and yield-attributing features.Boron0.25% showed significantly outcomes for plant height (176cm),flower and fruit production(53.8), number of fruit per plant(50.7) ,and yield(31.32tons/ha). The results for quality parameters were not significant. Therefore, tomato development and production can be improved by applying a foliar spray with 1% zinc and 0.25% boron.

A Review on Priming Methods of Vegetable Seeds

Seed priming, a pre-sowing seed preparation, prevents radical emergence through the seed coat while allowing seeds to be controlled moist to absorb water and progress through the initial stage of germination. Priming frequently entails soaking the seed in a set amount of water or limiting the imbibition period. Even under challenging soil conditions and under adverse environmental conditions, seed priming speeds up the germination process and improves the rate of seedling emergence. Hydropriming, Osmo priming, halopriming, hormonal priming, and biopriming are some of the numerous methods of seed priming, all of which have significant positive effects on crops. The priming or physiological advancement of the seed lot is a technique to increase the pace and consistency of germination. The practice of priming seeds helps to increase germination rates and ensure that seedlings emerge uniformly in field circumstances. The breaking of dormancy, increasing crop vigor, better crop stand, acceleration and synchronization of germination as well as improved growth, faster flowering, increased resistance to abiotic stress, and larger yields are all made possible by priming of seeds. The most recent research on the numerous physiological and subcellular processes connected to priming that improve vegetable seeds are summarized in this review article.

Genotypic variability and genetic parameters for root yield, dry matter and related traits of cassava in the Guinea Savannah ecological zone of Ghana

Joseph Adjebeng-Danquah — 2023-09-25

The aim of this study was to assess the agronomic performance and genetic parameters governing storage root yield and related traits in cassava genotypes in order to identify superior genotypes. The study involved 18 elite cassava genotypes which were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications and assessed for storage root yield and yield components (12 months after planting) in the Guinea savannah ecology of Ghana for three seasons. Analysis of variance indicated significant (p < 0.05) genotype and year main effects for fresh and dry root yields, dry matter content, starch yield and harvest index. Genotype × year effect was significant (p < 0.05) for fresh root yield, dry root yield and starch yield. Estimates of the variance components revealed greater genotypic influence for starch yield, fresh and dry root yields implying the potential for genetic gain with selection for these traits among the genotypes. Relatively high (69 %) broad sense heritability estimate was observed for dry storage root yield indicating the depth of genetic influence. Path coefficient analysis revealed a direct positive effect of dry matter content on dry storage root yield whilst dry storage root yield had direct positive effect on starch yield suggesting the possibility of indirect selection for starch yield through dry storage root yield. The study revealed ample genotypic variability among the cassava genotypes to warrant selection. Four genotypes, IBA 070134, IBA 419, IBA 950289 and IBA 980581 were identified for high and stable fresh and dry root yields for multilocational testing.

Assessment of slope-cut landslides along Pokhara-Baglung Highway, Nepal

Sundarmani Dhungana — 2023-09-25

The study addresses the ramifications of development initiatives in delicate mountainous terrains, unveiling significant economic constraints and multifaceted environmental challenges. It focuses on investigating substantial landslides triggered by excavations along a specified stretch of Nepal's Pokhara-Baglung Highway. This research holds significance for policymakers engaged in devising highway development strategies that mitigate future landslides, minimizing both costs and the toll on life and assets. The investigation encompassed on-site cataloging of landslides, lab test of sampled soils and a structured questionnaire distributed among local residents. This comprehensive approach facilitated a thorough assessment of landslide occurrences and their consequential effects. The identified landslides exhibited a consistent rotational pattern, characterized by abundant quartzite and phyllite rock formations. The predominant soil composition consisted of fine-to-medium sands, exhibiting a Plasticity Index (PI) range of 0.5 to 3, indicating marginal plasticity. Significantly, a substantial portion (70%) of the populace reported tangible impacts from landslides, with about 32% of affected individuals confirming an average agricultural productivity loss of 4330 kg/km². Statistical analysis using the Chi-square test indicated a uniform impact across various demographic categories, including gender, education, proximity to the affected site, and social caste. Although fluctuations in the region, the observed temporal precipitation consistency over decades suggests as an accelerating rather than primary causative factor for landslides. Thus, principal causes of slope failures predominantly link to inadequately managed bedrock excavations and suboptimal road drainage systems underscoring the necessity for systematic inquiries into soil stability post-slope incisions. These measures are pivotal in guiding the construction and expansion of road networks within Nepal's Himalayan region.

EFFECT OF OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC NUTRIENTS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF GREENGRAM (Vigna radiata L.) AT RUPANDEHI, NEPAL

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy farm of Paklihawa Campus from March to June, 2022 to investigate the effect of organic and inorganic nutrients on growth and yield of green gram. The research was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design with 7 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments were T₁= Control, T₂= RDF @ 20:40:20 NPK kg/ha), T₃= Vermicompost @5 ton/ha, T₄= Goat Manure @5 ton/ha, T₅= Panchagavya 0.3% @60 liter/ha, T₆= NPK + MnSO₄ @20kg/ha and T₇= NPK + ZnSO₄@20kg/ha. The growth parameters studied under this research were plant height, leaf area index and number of trifoliate leaves while the yield and yield attributing characters studied were pod length, number of pods per plant, number of grains per plant, grain yield, stover yield, biological yield and harvest index. There was significant difference in leaf area index, pod per plant, grain yield, biological yield, stover yield and harvest index. T₃ was found to be most effective in case of plant height, leaf area index, number of trifoliate leaves, grain yield (977.89 kg/ha), stover yield (2485.69 kg/ha), biological yield (3463.58 kg/ha) and harvest index (28.29). T₃ was followed by T₇ and had a grain yield (877.94 kg/ha), stover yield (2371.70 kg/ha), biological yield (3249.64 kg/ha) and harvest index (27.04). To conclude, vermicompost was most effective nutrient as compared to other nutrient sources.

Preparation of floral calendar of bee flora available in Lamjung district, Nepal

Sabin Bhattarai — 2023-09-25

Between March and May 2022, researchers conducted a broad survey in the Lamjung district to ascertain the presence and accessibility of bee-friendly flora to compile a floral calendar. In the PMAMP Bee Zone, 62 respondents were chosen for the interview through a simple random sampling approach, from a pool of 382 registered beekeepers. Primary data collection involved using personal interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant surveys. Secondary data were gathered from publications related to the topic from various institutions. The collected data were then analyzed using IBM SPSS V.26 and Microsoft Excel. Nearly all farmers in the study area kept Apis cerana bees, but due to insufficient irrigation, the crop fields provided limited forage for the bees during certain periods. The lowest number of frames covers by bees was four during the dearth period. Farmers in the Lamjung district did not practice migratory foraging. The majority of the respondents reported an increase in productivity compared to the previous year. However, only 37.1 percent of them cultivated bee flora. The colony carrying capacity of the forage area was not estimated. Additionally, an increase in deforestation was identified as the major problem affecting bee foraging. To address these issues, it was recommended to plant and cultivate perennial trees such as butter trees (Vitellaria paradox), bottle brush (Callistemon speciosus), litchi (Litchi chinensis), sissoo (Dalbergia sissoo), and sunflower (Helianthus annus) with assured irrigation. This approach could ensure year-round forage availability and reduce the need for artificial feeding. The research aimed to explore the current status of honey bee flora and investigate major flora that could be introduced in the study area.

Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in endangered captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) of Chitwan National Park in Nepal

Ghanshyam Dahal — 2023-09-25

In order to ascertain the comprehensive prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites among captive Asian elephants in Chitwan National Park, a cross-sectional investigation was conducted. A total of 103 samples was purposefully collected. Demographic details encompassing age and gender, along with epidemiological information concerning deworming status, timing intervals, and nutritional condition for both government-owned and privately-owned elephants, were procured through a structured questionnaire survey. The process involved microscopic identification and quantification of gastrointestinal parasites through sedimentation, centrifugal floatation, and MacMaster Egg Per Gram (EPG) count methods. The resultant data indicated an overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites at 47.57% (49 out of 103 samples). The dominant class of parasites observed was Nematodes (n=30, 61.22%), followed by Trematodes (n=14, 28.57%) and Cestodes (n=5, 10.20%). Six distinct parasite genera were identified with positive results: Strongylus (26.53%), Trichostrongylus (24.48%), Fasciola (16.35%), Paramphistomum (12.24%), Anoplocephala (10.20%), and Ascaris (10.20%). Notably, the prevalence was markedly higher in females (39.80%) in comparison to males (7.76%), with the disparity being statistically significant (p>0.05). Additionally, a noteworthy correlation was observed between parasite prevalence, age groups, and deworming history, with statistical significance (p<0.05). The Egg Per Gram (EPG) count analysis demonstrated that the majority (87.75%) of the positively identified samples exhibited mild infection (100-500 eggs), while a relatively low percentage (6.12%) displayed heavy infection (1000-1500 eggs). The mean EPG was calculated as (248.39 ± 54.25). Consequently, the heightened prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in captive elephants within Chitwan National Park underscores the necessity for targeted interventions to mitigate the risk of parasitic infestations.

Influence of seedling age and integrated nutrient management on growth and yield of aromatic rice (cv. BRRI dhan34)

Annika Sal Sabil — 2023-06-25

To investigate the performance of aromatic rice (cv. BRRI dhan34) in response to seedling age and nutrient management, an experiment was carried out at the Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka from July to December 2021. The experiment includes three different ages of seedlings to be transplanted viz., 30, 45 and 60 days old and six nutrient management practice viz. control (no manures and fertilizers), recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers (RDF), 50% of RDF + cow dung @ 5 t ha^-1, 75% of RDF + cow dung @ 5 t ha^-1, 50% of RDF + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 and, 75% of RDF + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that in the case of transplanting of different aged seedlings, the highest leaf area index (5.74), dry matter hill^-1 (32.86 g), number of tillers hill^-1 (13.17), number of effective tillers hill^-1 (11.53), plant height (113.34 cm), total grains panicle^-1 (135.14), 1000-grain weight (12.45 g), grain yield (3.29 t ha^-1), straw yield (4.01 t ha^-1), biological yield (7.30 t ha^-1) and were recorded from transplanting 30 days old seedlings. Different levels of nutrient management showed a significant impact on most of the parameters under study. The highest total dry matter hill^-1 (34.02 g), the maximum LAI (5.35), plant height (115.70 cm), chlorophyll content (42.87), number of effective tillers hill^-1 (12.99), panicle length (24.63 cm), total grains panicle^-1 (140.17), 1000-grain weight (12.54 g), grain yield (3.27 t ha^-1), straw yield (4.15 t ha^-1), biological yield (7.42 t ha^-1) and harvest index (43.03%) were also recorded in F5 (75% of RDF + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1) treatment. While considering the interaction effects between the age of seedlings and nutrient management, transplanting 30 days old seedlings along with the nutrient
management of 75% of RDF + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 treatment improved yield contributing parameters and provided the highest yield (3.76 t ha^-1) of BRRI dhan34 compared to other treatment combination. So, the application of 75% of RDF + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 along with 30 days old seedlings appeared as a promising practice to obtain better performance of fine aromatic rice (cv. BRRI dhan34).

Evaluation of eight bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdcourt) accessions for agronomic characters and proximate composition in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Gamaliel I. Harry — 2023-06-25

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc.) is a valuable but underutilised legume crop grown in sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to evaluate the yield and yield components of eight Bambara groundnut accessions obtained from the National Root Crops Research Institute in Umudike, Nigeria. The experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research farm of the University of Uyo, Uyo Southern Nigeria during the 2021 cropping seasons, using a randomised complete block design with three replications. Growth, yield and nutritional parameters were collected and subjected to analysis of variance, correlation and principal component analysis. Plant height, number of leaves, and leaf area were all significantly different (P≤0.05) among the accessions three months after planting. Number of pods per plant, seed weight, and 100-seed weight differed significantly (P≤0.05). Caly PSC (2853 kg/ha), Caly SK 46 (2803 kg/ha), Zeina (2538 kg/ha), and BNT (2488 kg/ha) were the top yielders among the accessions. Yields of Bambara groundnut differ significantly (P≤0.05) between accessions studied, ranging from 1624.67 kg/ha to 2853.33 kg/ha. Principal component (PC) analysis identified eight influential components, two of which, PC1 and PC3, contributed 27% and 17% of the total variation, respectively. In this study, the correlation analysis revealed that plant height and petiole length, plant height and number of seeds per plot were all negatively correlated. The leaf area and the number of pods per plot, the number of seeds per pod and the fibre content, the leaf area and seed weight, and the plant height and seed weight were all noted positively correlated. The nutritive value of the eight Bambara groundnut accessions varied significantly (P≤0.05). The mean protein levels of eight Bambara nut accessions studied ranged from 18.82 to 20.39%. Findings from this study clearly indicate that Bambara groundnut is suitable for production in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Thus, high yielding accessions identified in this study are recommended for increased production in Akwa Ibom State of Nigeria.

Maximizing yield of aromatic fine rice through application of zinc and poultry manure

Md Abu Rasel — 2023-06-25

Zinc (Zn), one of the most important micronutrients for plants which play vital role in various metabolic functions and deficiency of this nutrient in agricultural soils associated with lower yield of rice in many regions of the world. The integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizer has been found to be promising for sustainable crop production and poultry manure could be a rich source of organic matter. Considering these factors, a field experiment was conducted to observe the effect of zinc and poultry manure-based fertilization on the yield of aromatic fine rice, BRRI dhan34. Four levels of zinc and three levels of poultry manure (PM) were tested as treatment including control. Application of zinc, PM and their interaction significantly influenced the growth and yield of rice that result the tallest plant (131.33 cm), maximum number of effective tillers/hill (13.89), grains/panicle (128.54), 1000-grain weight (12.09 g) and highest grain yield (3.21 t/ha) where 4 kg Zn/ha were applied. On the other hand, tallest plant (129.92 cm), maximum number of effective tillers/hill (9.13), grains/panicle (128.23), 1000-grain weight (12.05) and grain yield (3.24 t/ha) were obtained where 10 t/ha of PM were applied. The interaction between application of 4 kg Zn/ha and 10 t PM/ha performed best in all yield contributing characters and results maximum grain yield (3.64 t/ha). Therefore, 4 kg Zn/ha along with 10 t PM/ha was found to be suitable combination for cultivation of aromatic fine rice.

Effect of Wolbachia as biocontrol agent on fecundity and survival of cassava whitefly in northwest Nigeria

Muhammad Dan Yaro Magaji — 2023-06-25

Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) is known to vectored Cassava mosaic virus (CMV) and Cassava brown streak virus (CBSV), these viruses caused major diseases of cassava in Africa. An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of Wolbachia as biocontrol agent on fecundity and survival of whitefly infesting cassava. Whiteflies infesting cassava were captured and reared using rearing cages. Wolbachia was isolated from infected cassava whiteflies, cultured and used for the inoculations. The experiment was conducted under control conditions using glass cages. Results of this research revealed that number of eggs lay by Bemisia tabaci inoculated with Wolbachia significantly (P = 0.05) reduced weeks after inoculation which significantly differ among the cassava genotypes. Number of eggs lay by B. tabaci free of Wolbachia was significantly higher (964.35) than those inoculated with Wolbachia (46.541) at 4 weeks after inoculation (4WAI). The genotype ‘Dan Aliero’ had the highest number (4WAI 82.33), while, ‘Farin rogo’ had the lowest number of eggs (4WAI 23.33). Number of whitefly nymphs and adults also significantly reduced when B. tabaci was inoculated with Wolbachia. ‘Dan Aliero’ had the highest number of whitefly nymphs and adults (4WAI = 59.00) and (4WAI = 51.00), respectively. ‘Farin rogo’ recorded the lowest number of whitefly nymphs (17.67) and adults (13.00) at 4WAI, respectively. For the first time, Wolbachia were evaluated for whiteflies
management. From the finding of this study, Wolbachia can be used as biocontrol agent to suppress whiteflies infestation on cassava and other vegetable crops.

Efficacy of eco-friendly insecticides against yellow stem borer under spring rice crop ecosystem of Saptari district, Nepal

Sonam Sah — 2023-06-25

The study aimed to assess the effectiveness of eco-friendly insecticides in controlling yellow stem borer in spring rice crops of Hardinath-1 variety in Saptari district, Nepal. For this experiment, a Randomized Block Design was used with seven different treatments and an untreated control group. The treatments tested included Bacillus thuringiensis var kurtaski, Beauveria bassiana, Azadiractin 2.00%, garlic extract, tobacco extract, larvosin, and an untreated plot. The plots used were 3 × 4 meters in size and the plants were spaced 20 centimeters apart in both rows and between plants. The crop was sprayed twice, once during the vegetative stage and once during the reproductive stage, when the pest population reached a certain level. The incidence of dead heart was observed on ten randomly selected hills from each plot before and after the insecticide application, and observations on yellow stem borer incidence were recorded. Results showed that B. thuringiensis var kurtaski had the lowest dead heart infestation (0.4889%) and the minimum white head infestation (0.367%), as well as the highest mean yield (5.755mt/ha). Neembicide and B. bassiana also showed promising results.

Evaluation of the inland fisheries in Basrah province in Iraq during 2020-2021

Abdul-Razak M. Mohamed — 2023-06-25

The study was aimed to update the knowledge on the fish landings of the inland fisheries in Basrah province, Iraq. The species composition, species and total landings, and their trends in six landing sites throughout the study region were evaluated during the year 2020-2021. Species compositions were included seven cyprinids’ species, three cichlids’ species, three mullet’s species, and two species from sparids and silurids. The exotic species, C. carpio, tilapias species and C. auratus dominated the landings constituting 44.2% of the total catch, whereas the highly valued native species (M. sharpeyi, L. xanthopterus, C. luteus and A. grypus) forming only 12.4% of the total catch. The total landing reached 2,427.78 t in 2020 and 2,365.15 t in 2021, and these values were higher than what was recorded during the past years since the year 2009. This is due to the prevalence of aliened species and the increase in the fishing effort, such as the numbers of fishermen and fishing boats. Therefore, in fisheries management point of view, it is essential to enhance the stocks of the native species, minimize the dispersal and impacts of some exotic species, and activate the national regulating fishing, exploitation and protection of aquatic organisms to improve the inland fisheries.

Value chain analysis of carp fish seed farms in some selected areas of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh

Nazia Tabassum — 2023-06-25

This study is an attempt to analyze the prevailing value chain of fish seed farms in some selected areas of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Data were collected from 280 fish seed farms owners (56) and traders (224) covering four Upazilas of Mymensingh district namely Mymensingh Sadar, Gauripur, Muktagacha, and Trishal from the period of July 2019 to October 2019 through purposive random sampling technique. Three important fish seed
species of carp; namely Rui, Catla, Mrigel were selected to address the following objectives: typical value chain map and marketing system of fish seed farms, determination of the net value addition of fish seed production and marketing, and problems impacting different actors in the value chain. Total net marketing margin per 10 Kg. spawn and per 100000 pieces’ fingerlings are Tk. 20204 (190.43 USD) and Tk. 43148 (406.69 USD), respectively. Among all three intermediaries, the net marketing margin of the retailer is the highest. A large percentage of value addition is covered by paiker for both cases and that is 20.85% and 31.2%. The study finds that fish seed farms with hatcheries are more profitable than fish seed farms with nursery. The yearly net return from spawn production in the hatchery is Tk. 4324775 (40763.15 USD) and from fingerling production in the nursery is Tk. 2388126 (22509.27 USD). The
owners and traders have currently been facing some difficulties. Lack of information about good quality seed, the higher price of inputs, and lack of extension service is some of the examples. If these problems could be solved, fish seed farms and market intermediaries could earn a higher profit than the existing level.

RESPONSE OF WHEAT TO DIFFERENT ABIOTIC STRESS CONDITIONS

Harikala paudel

Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. The production and productivity of wheat are greatly influenced by global warming and climate change that had created abiotic stress environments such as drought, heat stress, and saline conditions all over the world. To address the advances in the response of wheat against such climatic implications, a review was done. Abiotic stress mainly affects the morphology, phenology, and physiology of wheat. Abiotic stress induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) in wheat causing a reduction in root, shoot, and reproductive growth. Furthermore, abiotic stresses induce earliness in maturity by reducing days to booting, heading, and anthesis and have an impact on yield-related traits like spike length, number of grain per spike, grain weight per spike, thousand-grain weight, and ultimately reduces the grain yield. A proper study of these effects at the genetic and molecular level is necessary to cope with the existing yield gap in a farmer's field as compared to normal conditions. The study of wheat against such circumstances would help plant breeders to identify stress-tolerant genotypes that could significantly contribute to eradicating existing hunger and malnutrition in the world.

Assessment of agricultural mechanization status in rice production and its challenges in the western Nepal

Sagar Bhandari — 2023-06-25

There is a difference of 45% to 55% between the attainable yield and the potential yield of rice. This gap may be due to insufficient inputs and poor mechanization status. In this regard, agricultural mechanization is of the utmost importance to obtain satisfactory yield. This study was conducted to determine mechanization level, power per unit area, probit regression, and challenges faced by farmers to understand the mechanization status in rice cultivation. For this, 98 households in the Pyuthan municipality of Pyuthan district and 87 households in the Bhimdutta municipality of Kanchanpur district were selected using a simple random sampling method. The highest mechanization level was found in the main field tillage (90.92%), followed by threshing (85.24%), the seedbed tillage (52.42%), and irrigation (20.10%). Mechanization is lacking in transplantation, bund preparation, fertilizer application, weeding, and harvesting. Power per unit area was found to be 4.67 hp/ha. Age and family size have a negative impact while male household heads have a positive impact on mechanized tillage and threshing, both statistically significant at a 5% level. The unavailability of farm machinery and land fragmentation were the major challenges in the adoption of farm mechanization. The mechanization status in the study areas is not satisfactory, thus, the strict policy against land fragmentation, dissemination of extension services at the grass root level, and the provision of subsidies for required farm machinery could help the improvement of mechanization status in rice production in Nepal.

Chemical properties and shelf life of velvet apple germplasm

Md. Shaon Sharif — 2023-06-25

The study was undertaken to evaluate bio-chemical properties, shelf-life determination and expansion of ripe fruits of four velvet apple germplasm. The selected germplasm were local red variety, local yellow variety, PSTU Bilati gab-1 and PSTU Bilati gab-2. Ripe fruits were collected from Germplasm Center, Patuakhali Science and Technology University (PSTU) and different locations of Patuakhali district of Bangladesh. Results expressed that maximum TSS (13.93%), vitamin-C (3.68 mg/100g), non-reducing sugar (5.15%) and total sugar (7.95%) were recorded from PSTU Bilati gab-2, the highest TA (1.30%) was found in PSTU Bilati gab-1 but highest pulp pH (7.50) and TSS to TA ratio (11.11) were recorded from local yellow variety whereas highest reducing sugar (3.17%) was recorded from local red variety. The shelf life of ripe fruit varied from 3.25 – 4.75 days where the longest shelf life was obtained from PSTU Bilati gab-2 and the shortest shelf life was recorded in local red variety. But the storability was extended more than 27 days when stored in “Refrigerator” followed by “Non-perforated polybag (NPP)” (10 days), perforated polybag (8 days) and paper bag (6 days). The firmness of fruits were decreased gradually with days but the reduction was minimized when stored in different storage condition where more firmness hold in refrigerator treatment followed by NPP. Similarly, the weight loss was controlled in refrigerator followed by NPP treatment. The results of the experiments revealed that PSTU Bilati gab-2 provides superior chemical properties among the germplasm and ‘Refrigerator’ treatment exhibited best performance among other.

The Value chain analysis of kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) in Dolakha district, Nepal

Kiwifruit is one of the emerging, and high value fruit crops having tremendous nutritional and medicinal value that is being popular in Nepal. Under this context, research was done with the objective to carry out an in-depth value chain analysis of kiwifruit sub-sector in Dolakha district, Nepal. A total of 72 respondents, including 60 kiwifruit growers, 2 nursery owners, 2 wholesalers, 5 retailers and 3 consumers were selected for interview by using simple random sampling technique. Economic analysis revealed kiwifruit cultivation was running as a profitable agriculture enterprise in the district with the benefit-cost ratio value of 3.2. Additionally, kiwifruit production alone had 27.2% contribution in annual household income of growers. Five different marketing channels were observed, and majority of producers were found selling kiwifruit to consumers directly. On an average price spread was NRs. 87.4 per kg and producer's share was 73.24% in existing marketing channels. Value addition activities such as grading, packaging, and processing were relatively poor in the study area. Furthermore, indexing identified inadequate technical knowledge and lack of storage facility as the major problems associated with production and marketing of kiwifruit, respectively. The findings of this research suggests that farmers are to be focused more on quality improvement practices and concerned authorities to prioritize their support in establishing proper marketing mechanism through provision of storage structures, processing units with least possible involvement of market intermediaries would be the best course of action to enhance future production and marketing of kiwifruit in the region.

First record of important biological parameters of Badis badis: A small indigenous species in Bangladesh

Md. Rabiul Awal — 2023-06-25

A total of 286 Badis badis were collected from the Sutiyahali Reservoir in Mymensingh from January to December 2022, and their sex ratios, first sexual maturity, length-weight relationships and condition factors were evaluated. The weight and length of B. badis varied from 0.81 to 1.01g (0.89±0.30) and 4.08 to 4.60cm (4.36±0.31), respectively. Logistic curves depicting a sex ratio and 50% maturity (L₅₀) estimated at 4.5cm for females and 4.05cm for males, as well as males reaching first sexual maturity with a shorter length than females. Regression coefficients in every month differ significantly (p<0.05), according to the regression equations. Each month, the values of the exponent b were less than 3 (b<3), with the highest value of b recorded in August (2.80) and the lowest value recorded in January (2.33). This led to a monthly negative allometric growth being seen. A strong positive relationship is evident from the coefficient of determination (r²) values, which ranged from 0.92-0.98 with an average of 0.961. During the study, the average condition factor (K_n) value for B. badis was found to be 1.02±0.13, which is a positive indicator of the fish's physical well-being. The condition factor values varied between 0.84 to 1.39, making it abundantly clear that B. badis are in good health and the waterbody is an ideal habitat for their survival. Relative condition factor (K_r) values, which varied between studies and ranged from 0.78 to 1.01, also exhibited a noteworthy difference (p<0.05). For its long-term management, the above findings will be very helpful.

Assessing the Genetic Diversity of Rice (Oryza sativa l.) Landraces of Terai, Nepal; Implications for Conservation and Breeding Programs

Landraces are an important source of novel alleles for crop improvement; their characterization provides ample information in rice breeding for developing new rice cultivars. An experiment on rice (Oryza sativa L.) landraces was conducted at Agriculture Forestry University (AFU), Rampur, Chitwan with an objective to assess the genetic diversity and association among yield and yield attributes. Thirty rice landraces were laid out in rod row matrix design where landraces were characterized to study their phenotypic diversity using nine quantitative traits and 15 qualitative traits. Shannon diversity index was found ranged from 0.146 to 1.410 and Simpson index ranged from 0.246 to 0.754. Grain yield was found to be significant and positively correlated with 1000 grain weight, number of seeds per panicle, and panicle length while it was found positively correlated with culm length, culm number, panicle number, length, and width of the seed. Five different clusters were made from thirty genotypes. The member of cluster I and cluster III represented 20% of genotypes that were superior, and the selection of genotype could be done from a superior cluster. The inter-cluster distance ranged from 112.768 to 553.460 which revealed wide genetic diversity between genotypes. Diversity assessment is therefore the foremost step for germplasm to utilize in rice breeding and provides valued information on developing improved rice cultivars.

Factors affecting the knowledge of vegetable farmers of Chitwan and Makwanpur district over pesticide use

Anish Shakya — 2023-06-25

A study was conducted in two districts of Nepal to determine the factors influencing the knowledge of vegetable farmers regarding pesticide use. The use of pesticides in agriculture is considered necessary but can pose significant risks if handled inadequately or impractically. The study collected data from 136 vegetable growers, with 68 farmers from each district, and also involved 5 agro vets from both districts using random sampling techniques. The findings indicated that only 13.23% of the farmers were found to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE), while 83.08% used partial PPE, and 3.67% applied pesticides without any protective gear. This finding was statistically significant at the 10% level. Among the different types of protective gear, masks were the most commonly used by the farmers. The majority of farmers (62.5%) reported being poisoned during pesticide mixing and spraying, with eye irritation being the most frequently reported symptom. Farm households that underwent training in pesticide usage and vegetable cultivation experienced a statistical enhancement of 20.6% in their knowledge. Moreover, farmers who were educated, had access to extension services, had long experience in pesticide usage, or had a history of poisoning in their farm household witnessed corresponding improvements of 9%, 18%, 2.1%, and 9.3% in their knowledge of pesticide use. The study urges agricultural organizations to implement training, promote literacy, offer extension services, and raise awareness to enhance farmers' knowledge and safety, contributing to sustainable agriculture and farmer well-being.

Factors affecting the knowledge acquisition of vegetable farmers of Chitwan and Makwanpur district over pesticide use

Pesticides, although deemed necessary in agriculture, can pose significant risks when handled inadequately or impractically. To determine the factors influencing the knowledge acquisition of vegetable farmers regarding pesticide use, a study was conducted in two districts of Nepal. This study utilized data from 136 vegetable growers’ 68 from each district farmers and 5 agro vets from both districts utilizing random sampling techniques. Results indicated that only 13.23% of farmers wore full PPE, while 83.08% wore partial PPE, and 3.67% applied pesticides without any protective gear, a finding that was statistically significant at the 10% level. Masks were the most commonly used form of protective gear. The majority of farmers (62.5%) reported being poisoned during pesticide mixing and spraying, with eye irritation being the most frequently reported symptom. In the event that the agricultural household has received education in the usage of pesticides and vegetable cultivation, the head of the farm family is literate, the household has access to extension services, for each added year of pesticide usage, and if a member of the farm household has previously been poisoned, there is a statistically significant improvement of 20.6%, 0.9%, 4%, 0.5%, and 9.3% respectively in the farmer's knowledge acquisition. These findings may serve as a valuable guide for organizations to implement safe pest management practices and minimize negative consequences.

EFFECTS OF POSTHARVEST CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES ON SHELF LIFE AND VARIOUS PHYSIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES OF TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Srijana.)

Bronika Thapa

The present laboratory experiment was conducted at CRD design to study the effects of different chemical preservatives on various physiochemical attributes of tomato cv Srijana at ambient conditions (27.7 ⁰ C, 83.33%). The effects of preservatives were studied on Shelf Life, Disease Infestation Days, Total Soluble Solid (TSS), Titratable Acidity (TA), pH, and Weight Loss Percentage (WLP) at 2 days intervals during the storage period. The 7 treatments used were CaCl₂ 2%, CaCl₂ 4%, GA₃ 1%, GA₃ 3%, Sodium Benzoate 1000ppm, Sodium Benzoate 2000ppm, and control in distill water each having 3 replications. Each replication was dipped in chemical preservatives for 20 minutes and kept in a polythene bag. Among the treatments, fruits treated with GA₃ 3% recorded the longest shelf life (31.33 days) followed by GA₃ 1% (27 days) and CaCl₂ 4% (22 days) over control (15.667 days). Disease infestation days were recorded highest for GA₃ 3% (32.33 days) followed by GA₃ 1% (28.33 days) and CaCl₂ 4% (23 days) over control (16.667 days). Physiological weight loss percentage at the day of data record was minimum for GA₃ 3% treated fruits and maximum for control. Similarly, TA, TSS, and pH of treated fruits show significant results over control.

Assessing participation of women in production of large cardamom in Ilam district of Nepal

women are key players in agricultural production of developing nations though their impact is least emphasized. The study analyzed the role of women and challenges they confront as well as the factors affecting their participation in cardamom production. Semi structured interview with purposive 102 cardamom growers of Ilam district was conducted in 2021. The result showed that more than half percent of women had significant role in the labor force whereas 42.2% acted as helpers. Women engagement in cardamom production is limited most prior to primary processing and intercultural operations. Although 46.1% women were participating in various organizations, they had limited access to productive assets, technology and innovation. Women’s decision in both farm and nonfarm activities had increased to some extent. Marketing was still dominated by men. Women participation played a crucial role in care and maintenance of orchards and the quality of cardamom. Both men and women played a significant role in certain tasks however they appear to be working together in general. Work burden, age, nature of farming and farming experiences had significant impact on women participation. Agricultural awareness, technical skills and women friendly agricultural production system would be supportive for enhancing women participation in large cardamom production.

Seed priming influences on yield and protein content of wheat sown at different time

Ishak Hosen — 2023-06-25

The aim of this field experiment conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, was to investigate the impact of different seed priming techniques and sowing dates on the yield and quality of wheat. The study aimed to identify the most effective seed priming technique and optimal sowing date to enhance wheat productivity and minimize yield reduction. The experiment employed a split plot design with two factors: seed priming techniques (no priming, hydropriming with distilled water, osmopriming with PEG, and halopriming with CaCl₂) and sowing dates (November 20, December 05, and December 20). The trial was conducted from November 2019 to April 2020 at the research field. The study consisted of three replications for each treatment combination. Osmopriming exhibited the most favorable results among all priming techniques, showing significantly higher values for effective tillers hill^-1 (3.91), number of grains spike^-1 (43.82), number of spikelets spike^-1 (16.16), grain yield (3.87 tons hectare^-1), biological yield (6.02 t ha^-1), and harvest index (39.03%). No priming condition resulted in the highest protein content (12.11%), while osmopriming had the lowest protein content (11.77%). The sowing conducted on November 20 yielded the highest number of effective tillers hill^-1 (3.57), number of grains spike^-1 (42.49), number of spikelets spike^-1 (15.75), grain yield (3.71 t ha^-1), biological yield (9.70 t ha^-1), and lowest protein content (11.74%). Sowing on December 20 resulted in the highest protein content (12.20%). Based on the study's findings, it can be concluded that the osmopriming technique, combined with sowing on November 20, offers the most promising approach to mitigate the yield reduction of wheat. This combination demonstrated the highest grain yield (4.23 t ha^-1) compared to other treatments. Therefore, farmers and agricultural practitioners are recommended to adopt the osmopriming technique with a sowing date of November 20 for optimizing wheat production and enhancing overall crop quality.

First record of induced breeding and fry production techniques of Pialy fish, Aspidoparia jaya (Hamilton, 1822) in Bangladesh

David Rintu Das — 2023-06-25

This experiment was conducted for the development of induced breeding techniques of
Aspidoparia jaya using the pituitary gland (PG) extract at the Floodplain Sub-station, BFRI, Santahar, Bogura, Bangladesh. Three breeding trials were conducted in May, June and July, 2021 where in May, none of the fish was ovulated. But breeding response was observed in June and July when we applied 8 mg (T₁), 10 mg (T₂) and 12 mg (T₃) PG/kg body weight of female, and 5 mg (T₁), 6 mg (T₂) and 7 mg (T₃) PG/kg body weight of male fish. Among all the treatments, significantly (P<0.05) highest breeding performance in terms of ovulation rate (78.87±1.71%), fertilization rate (79.39±1.40%) and hatching rate (86.98±1.20%) were observed in T₃ treatment in the month of July when injected with single dose of 12 mg and 7 mg PG/ kg body weight of female and male, respectively. Significantly (P<0.05) higher values of mean gonado-somatic index were observed during June, July, August, December and January for females where July (10.15±1.50%) and January (9.55±1.30%) showed the highest peaks which indicated that they might be spawn twice in a year (from May to August and from December to January). The results from the present experiment reveals that induced breeding of Aspidoparia jaya, using PG extract is successful which might be helpful for the large-scale seed production of this species for the aquaculture as well as to conserve the species from being extinct from the biodiversity.

Production systems and contributions of grain legumes to soil health and sustainable agriculture: A review

Oliver Okumu — 2023-06-25

Sustainable development of agriculture is essential, and there is unanimity that diversification of the cropping systems could support sustainable production. Grain legumes are essential in farming systems in terms of food and nutrition security and income generation. Under legume-based cropping systems, these crops are a potential remedy to pest and disease issues, low nutrient supply, biodiversity protection, and food and nutrition insecurity. In this chapter, we highlight the production systems of legumes and their use in sustainable agricultural production. Specifically, we have looked at the benefits of having a legume cropping system in the agroecosystem, production, and farming systems. The function of legumes in improving the potential of crop productivity is a promising approach to tackling the challenges of poor crop yields and improvement in sustainable production. Due to health and environmental benefits, the focus should shift to breeding grain legumes that can fully express their biological nitrogen fixation and other potentials under abiotic and biotic limitations.

Effects of fermented banana pseudo-stem sap Musa acuminata L. on the growth and yield attributing characters of marigold Karma 555-Orange in Chitwan, Nepal

An experiment was conducted to determine the optimum concentration of banana pseudo-stem sap (BPS) to be administered by foliar spraying to marigold var. Karma 555 – Orange and to evaluate the subsequent growth and yield of the plant from July 2022 to November 2022 in Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. The BPS was mixed and enriched with different ingredients, such as cow urine, cow dung, neem leaf, green gram leaf, pulse flour, vermin-liquor, jaggery, and fermented curd. The mixture was incubated under anaerobic conditions before administering the foliar spray. The study was carried out in a completely randomized block design, with three replications and seven treatments. The treatments were 0.5% BPS, 1% BPS, 2% BPS, 3% BPS, 4% BPS, 5% BPS, and the control. Data were recorded at 50, 70, and 90 days after transplanting (DAT). Among the treatments, the 3% BPS solution showed significant effects on most of the growth parameters: plant height (85.07 cm), plant spread (63.47 cm) at 90 DAT, and yield attributes such as the number of flowers per plant (74.00), individual flower weight (8.10 g), individual flower diameter (7.55 cm), and flower yield (597.25 g/plant). It was found that growth and yield attributes increased with increasing concentrations of BPS up to 3% and decreased thereafter. The foliar spray of marigolds with 3% BPS (enriched solution) could be an effective alternative to synthetic hormones for enhancing the growth and quality of marigolds under field conditions.

Reproductive biology and gonadal cycle of Indian Potasi, Neotropius atherinoides (Bloch 1794) in Bangladesh

David Rintu Das — 2023-06-25

The present study was conducted to investigate the reproductive biology of Neotropius atherinoides in Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Floodplain Sub-station, Santahar, Bogura, Bangladesh. A total number of 70 fish samples were collected on monthly basis from Atrai River and Jamuna River during the period from September 2021 to August 2022. The highest mean value of the gonado-somatic index (GSI) was recorded in July (12.55±2.50), whereas the lowest was found in January (0.46±0.11). Highest individual fecundity (7000±1900) and ova diameter (0.50±0.07 mm) was also observed in July. From the histological observation of the ovary, early peri-nucleolar stage, late peri-nucleolar stage, yolk vesicle stage, yolk granule stages were identified where the highest percentage (80%) of mature oocytes were observed in July. Based on the GSI, fecundity, and gonadal histology, the breeding season of N. atherinoides was observed from May to August and recorded a remarkable peak in July. In case of length weight relationship (LWR), the coefficient of determination value (r²) was found 0.95 and slope was found b=1.02 which indicated the pattern of negative allometric growth of this species as b<3. In contrast, an increase was recorded in the fecundity associated with the rise of total length, body weight, and gonad weight, showed a significant linear relationship. This study would assist in the development of induced breeding techniques and provide valuable information for the sustainable management of this population in the inland open ecosystem.

Adoption of post-harvest handling practices by ginger farmers in Palpa district, Nepal

Bidhya Poudel Chhetri

One of Nepal's most productive and export-friendly high-value spice crops is ginger. This study was done to evaluate the post-harvest handling procedures used by farmers in the Palpa district who cultivate ginger. The study also concentrated on farmer’s main issues while implementing postharvest management procedures. Sixty-six ginger farming households from three rural municipalities-Bagnashkali, Nisdhi, Purbakhola, and Rampur municipality—were chosen. According to a poll, women made up the majority of respondents (63.6%) and were heavily involved in ginger production. About 87% of household follows primary occupation as agriculture, especially ginger farming. Due to value addition, people are attracted to ginger farming. Most people use Bhakari (60.41%) for ginger storage, resulting in serious molds (72.2%) in the study area. No, any people manufacture ginger oil from ginger products. The most trend for post-harvest practices is the value addition of ginger by making Black sutho (65.2%). There are no other washing, grading, or packaging practices at the farmer’s level, showing a poor adoption of post-harvest technology. The major adoption problem of post-harvest is encountered to be the lack of knowledge for ginger growers; resulting in more training facilities in post-harvest management. The poor performance of the adoption of postharvest technology recalls all multifaceted sectors to make efforts to settle this problem. The overall study concludes that the quality deterioration of ginger day by day is due to old traditional postharvest handling practices.

The menace of Tomato leaf miner (Tuta absoluta): Its impact and control measures by Nepalese farmers

Sudip Ghimire

The multi-location study on the impact and control measures of Tuta absoluta was sought in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Kavre, and Pokhara, Nepal- which were purposively selected due to the prominence of the pest problem in these localities. A total of 480 households engaged in tomato cultivation were selected using the simple random sampling method. The most common vegetables grown were potato, tomato, cauliflower, cabbage, onion, garlic, and pea. The majority of the interviewee (88 percent) ranked Tuta absoluta as the major insect affecting tomatoes, with 99.73% indicating that the pest impacts the flowering stage. The pest caused significant yield loss, with an average of 45.8%, and severe infestations leading to losses of up to 85 percent. The high yield loss directly results in economic damage, as it increases crop protection prices and low products in the market. The overuse of chemical pesticides has led to the disruption of integrated pest management. Farmers are using different chemical, cultural, and physical control methods to manage pests, with all respondents affected by Tuta absoluta adopting chemical and cultural methods as control measures, while biological methods were not used due to a lack of knowledge. Physical methods were used by 77.27 percent of respondents. The Tomato Leaf Miner (TLM) lure was ranked first among control measures used, followed by chemical pesticides and sanitation. The study underscores the need to raise awareness about integrated pest management strategies, including the use of biological control methods, to manage Tuta absoluta effectively and sustainably.

Ethnobotanical study of the family Marantaceae R. Br in Bangladesh Agricultural University Botanical Garden

Most. Morsada Khatun — 2023-06-25

The Marantaceae family is a diverse group of plants that has drawn the interest of scientists and researchers worldwide due to their distinctive morphological characteristics, ecological and economic relevance. The Bangladesh Agricultural University Botanical Garden is home to an abundance of Marantaceae species, making it a useful resource for examining the diversity and significance of this plant family. This present study was designed to survey and document the family Marantaceae with an overview of the family emphasizing its morphological, economic, and ethnobotanical relevance based on a literature review. During the study, we found 25 species (two of which have two varieties each) belonging to 8 genera of which Goeppertia contributed the most species, with 16, followed by Maranta with 4 (including varieties) and Thalia with 2; the remaining 5 genera each contributed one species. Our findings reveal the remarkable diversity and significance of Marantaceae plants in this region, highlighting the necessity for their conservation and protection.

Post-harvest treatment of different concentrations of gibberellic acid on the physicochemical characteristics and shelf life of mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. Malda)

Bidhya Poudel Chhetri

The physical and chemical properties and storage life of mango were examined in an experiment to determine the impact of post-harvest gibberellic acid treatment. The study contained five treatments (0ppm, 100ppm, 200ppm, 300ppm, and 400ppm) with four replications of each on a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). For each treatment destructive and non-destructive samples were prepared, non- destructive samples were used for the observation of weight loss whereas destructive samples were used for the observation of the potential of Hydrogen (pH), fruit firmness, Titratable acidity, Total soluble solids, and TSS: TA. The fruits were evaluated at the one-day interval after the initial reading taken on the storage day and further data were recorded after 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 storage days. Among all the GA₃ treatments, 400ppm GA₃recorded the minimum physiological weight loss, total soluble solids at their peak (20.38), maximum fruit firmness (1.875kg/cm²), maximum titratable acidity (0.1910%), maximum TSS: TA ratio (124.7) and minimum pH (6.725).) Fruits treated with a 400ppm concentration of gibberellic acid showed a maximum shelf life (12.75 days) similar to 300ppm of GA₃ (12 days). Maximum retardation of physicochemical changes and mango fruit shelf life prolongation was observed at 400 ppm Gibberellic acid. 400ppm concentration of gibberellic acid can be the appropriate post-harvest treatment in preserving the quality and prolonging the fruit’s ability to be stored in mango

Production dynamics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Surkhet district, Nepal

Sudip Ghimire

The study sought to examine how potatoes are produced in Panchapuri Municipality, Surkhet, and randomly eighty farmers from the command area for analysis. The required information was obtained with the help of a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and one focus group discussion. Out of the respondents, 52.4% were male, and 47.6% were female. The study discovered that only a quarter of farmers had received training, with 37.5% having access to extension services. The majority of the respondent (90%) did not practice seed treatment during cultivation, and only 10% of respondents practiced seed treatment. Although a high-value crop, many problems were encountered during potato production and marketing. The significant problems in potato production were limited land, lack of quality seed, fertilizer, and water, disease, and pest, and monopolistic behavior of intermediaries. Major market problems were poor road infrastructure, high transportation loss, unavailability of the vehicles on time, high cost, lack of collection center and cold storage, less producer share and price fluctuation, micronutrients, cold storage, seed treatment, training and extension services, marketing channels and variety were determinants that hinder potato production and marketing. So, information and training, good road and market infrastructure, proper nutrient and irrigation management, more extension services, agricultural loans and subsidies, technical and management expertise in agricultural techniques, technical expertise in disease control, and disease-resistant improved varieties should be provided to improve production and potato marketing in this region.

Comparative study on the seed health of five commonly cultivated wheat varieties (Tritium aestivum) in Nepal

Sudip Ghimire

Producing profitable and sustainable food requires seeds that are free from seed-borne and seed-transmitted pathogens. Pathogens can be present in seeds, and to prevent their negative effects on germination, plant health, and yield, seeds are routinely tested and treated. The study conducted at the Central Agriculture Laboratory in Hariharbhawan, Lalitpur, aimed to identify seed-borne pathogens of wheat. Various parameters, such as germination percentage, pathogen incidence percentage, shoot length, and seedling vigor index, using the Standard Blotter Method. The study utilized a controlled environment at 24°C using a Complete Randomized Design with 4 replications and 5 treatments. Five wheat varieties (Gautam, Aaditya, Bijaya, Dhaulagiri, and NL971) were sown in petri dishes containing blotting paper wetted with sterilized distilled water to assess the incidence and severity of Bipolaris sorokiniana. The data obtained were tabulated in Microsoft Excel and analyzed using Gen Stat. Gautam showed the highest Bipolaris infection (18.25%), while NL971 showed the lowest (11.25%), followed by Bijaya, Dhaulagiri, and Aaditya. The results showed that Dhaulagiri had the highest germination (99.50%), followed by Aaditya, Bijaya, and NL971, while Gautam had the lowest (79%). Aaditya showed the highest shoot and root weight, shoot length, and seedling vigor index, while Gautam had the lowest. The study found Gautam was vulnerable to low seed health, while Aaditya and other varieties demonstrated stronger seed health and resistance to the pathogen Bipolaris sorokiniana.

Machine learning approach to detect Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change in Chure region of Sarlahi district, Nepal

Samit Kafle — 2023-06-25

Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) changes are major global environmental issues, affecting ecological systems, climate change, and biodiversity. The Chure region of the Sarlahi district in Nepal is a critical ecological zone that has experienced significant LULC changes in recent years. In this study, our aim was to apply a machine learning approach to detect LULC changes in the Chure region using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and the Random Forest classifier. We utilized Landsat imagery of 2007 and 2022 to generate land cover maps for each year, which were then compared to identify changes over time. The major findings of this study indicate that the forest cover in the region has increased by approximately 16% over the past 15 years, while the agriculture and built-up areas have also shown a significant increase. Conversely, the barren land and water areas have decreased. The classifier obtained an overall accuracy of 85.7% and a kappa coefficient of 81.2% for the year 2022, and an overall accuracy of 82.2% and a kappa coefficient of 76.8% for the year 2007, which demonstrates the high accuracy of the proposed approach. The use of GEE and random forest classifiers provided a cost-effective and efficient method for analysing large datasets and producing accurate LULC maps. Our findings can inform policymakers and conservationists about the need for sustainable land management practices to preserve the ecological integrity of the Chure region. The approach can be applied to other regions to monitor and manage LULC changes and support effective conservation efforts.

Protected cultivation of horticultural crops in Nepal: Current practices and future needs

Pratikshya Lamichhane — 2023-06-25

Protected cultivation infers the cultivation under guarded conditions or we can say simply, cultivation under a modified atmosphere or man-made micro-climatic conditions such as alteration in the CO₂ concentration also use of different temperature levels on specific protected structures such as hoop houses, cold houses, shade houses, hot frames or hotbeds, hot-bed manures as well as high tunnels which are less costly as well and can be easily afforded by Nepalese farmers. Horticultural crops rely heavily on specific environmental conditions i.e., temperature, soil moisture, sunlight, and soil fertility. However, with climate change, weather patterns worldwide are shifting, significantly impacting horticultural crops directly and indirectly in the mid-hills as well as high-hills of Nepal. The people of the mountainous region are getting malnutrition due to the scarcity of food. By adapting the different climate-smart practices we can increase the productivity of the seasonal crop as well as the availability of off-season crops throughout the year which not only improves the malnutrition status of Nepalese people but also helps the country to lower the vulnerability towards climate change. This review highlights the common protected practices used in Nepal and their need in the future.

Machine Learning approach to Detect Land Use Land Cover Change (LULC) in Chure Region of Sarlahi District, Nepal

This article presents a novel machine learning approach for detecting Land Use Land Cover (LULC) change in the Chure region of Sarlahi district, Nepal between 2007 and 2022 AD. The region has experienced significant land use changes over the past 15 years due to various anthropogenic activities. Traditional methods for monitoring LULC changes are time-consuming and require significant resources. The proposed approach utilizes high-resolution satellite imagery and machine learning algorithms Random Forest (RF) to identify and classify LULC changes in the region. We obtained an overall accuracy of 85.7% and a kappa coefficient of 81.2% for the year 2022 and an overall accuracy of 82.2% and a kappa coefficient of 76.8% for the year 2007, which indicates that the classifier performed well in accurately identifying the different LULC classes. Our results indicate that the forest cover in the region has increased by approximately 16% over the past 15 years, while the agriculture and built-up areas have also shown a significant increase. However, the barren land and water areas have decreased. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach is highly accurate in detecting LULC changes and can provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in making informed decisions regarding sustainable land management. The approach presented in this study can be applied to other regions facing similar environmental challenges.

Climate Change Effects on Agricultural Water Availability and Water Stress Incidences and Possible Strategies to Cope with the Projected Impacts

Agriculture is one of the most susceptible sectors to climate change and ensuring the availability of irrigation water in the context of climate change presents a great challenge. The local climate dramatically influences the availability of water resources in semi-arid regions like India and Nepal where scheduled irrigation is significant for better productivity and is directly related to food security. This review aims to project the effects of climate change on agricultural water availability and water stress incidences and possible strategies for adoption. It was found that an increase in conflict and tension over freshwater and altered water supply-demand balance are the significant climate change consequences leading to water stress incidences with a decrease in crop water availability (CWA) and an increase in crop water demand (CWD) in arid and semi-arid regions. Improved water harvesting and the construction of micro-storage facilities in watersheds, increasing water availability and water use efficiencies, drought tolerance, and use of better-adapted crops may effectively reduce the effects of climate change on water supplies.

Effect of zinc and boron on the performance of rainy season local potato variety “Sete” (Solanum tuberosum L.) at Rukumkot, Rukum East, Nepal

Dhaniraj Kohar — 2023-06-25

A field experiment was carried out at Rukumkot, Rukum East, Nepal during the rainy season of 2021 to study the effect of boron and zinc on vegetative growth and yield parameters of the local “Sete” variety of potato. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 4 replications, and 7 treatments i.e., control, boron @2kg/ha soil application, zinc @4.5kg/ha soil application, boron @2kg/ha + zinc @4.5kg/ha soil application, 0.1% boron spray, 0.1% zinc spray and 0.1% boron+ 0.1% zinc spray. The highest tuber yield per hill and productivity was reported in boron @2kg/ha + zinc @4.5kg/ha soil application i.e., 2888.52 grams and 27.51 ton/ha, respectively. A similar result was shown by zinc @4.5kg/ha soil application. Plant height (26.33cm, 46.57cm), number of branches (4.85, 12.02) and number of leaves per plant (30.05, 73.70) were significantly high in boron @2kg/ha + zinc @4.5kg/ha soil application at both 45 DAP (days after planting) and 60DAP. Soil application of only boron, only zinc and boron + zinc increased the total yield of tubers by 10.23%, 24.66% and 25.66%, respectively over the control. The foliar application of only boron, only zinc and boron + zinc increased the total yield of tubers by 4.22%, 2.07% and 12.37%, respectively over the control. Hence, research suggested combined soil application of zinc and boron at the rate of 4.5kg/ha and 2kg/ha, respectively over the foliar cum solitary application of micronutrients for increasing number of medium and large sized tubers and get an overall high yield of potato.

Prevalence of potato cyst (Globodera spp.) nematode and potato root-knot (Meloidogyne spp.) nematode in Kenya and potential management strategies: A review

Hillary Otieno — 2023-06-25

Nematodes are very diverse and could be free-living or plant parasite species. Amongst the existing categories, the most aggressive ones are the root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus spp.), root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.), and cyst nematode (Globodera spp.). These categories affect over 2000 susceptible crop species causing varying yield losses, reaching 100% under heavy infestations in potatoes. The common root-knot nematode and cyst nematode hosts include tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), African eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum), eggplant (Solanum melongena), and other solanaceous plants, including Physalis spp., Datura spp., Hyoscyamus spp., Physoclaina spp., Salpiglossis spp., and Saracha spp. These nematodes are disseminated mainly through irrigation water, rainfall runoffs, infested soil particles, commercial seed potato tubers, contaminated footwear, animal hooves, farm implements, and machinery. Effective control of nematodes requires farmers to practice integrated nematode management systems with a combination of at least two management practices. Several cultural and agronomic practices have shown some decent levels of efficacy, thus recommended for adoption. Timely application of these practices is critical for achieving better outcomes. Among the management strategies, applying nematicides is the most effective in the short term. It is important to be cautious when using these chemicals, as they pose significant risks to humans and the environment. Again, these products are costly, especially those within moderate to low toxicity, making them unsustainable and out of reach for most small-scale farmers.

Alternative fertilization approaches in enhancing crop productivity and nutrient use efficiency: A review

Solomon Yokamo — 2023-06-25

The greatest challenge of our time is to meet the global food demand by producing enough food without harming the environment. Over application and misuse of synthetic fertilizer is a major challenge that results in lower fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), stagnated crop yield, and environmental pollution. In this review study, three alternative fertilization options (AFOs), such as the use of organic fertilizer enhanced-efficiency fertilizer (EEFs), and secondary, and micronutrient fertilizers were evaluated. The adoption of appropriate fertilization practices was believed to improve crop yield and FUE over the conventional fertilization approach. As of late, the use of organic fertilizers has received more attention as a better alternative to counter the challenges posed by the inappropriate use of chemical fertilizers. The formulation of slow or controlled-release fertilizers contributes to preventing nutrient losses by slowing down nutrient release patterns in the soil and allowing better synchrony between crop nutrients requirement and nutrient supply. The use of secondary macronutrients and micronutrient also has considerable importance to improve nutrient uptake, grain yield, and quality. In summary, the review result showed that the adoption of AFOs can enhance crop yield and nutrient use efficiency.

Effect of different weed management practices on production of spring maize in Dang, Nepal

Dikshya Bist — 2023-06-25

The study was carried out at Lamahi-8, Satbariya, Dang to evaluate the effect of different weed management practices on the production of spring maize. The experiment was carried out in a Randomized Complete Block Design using three replications and seven treatments. Rampur hybrid 10 variety and early post emergence (EPoE) herbicide were used in the experiment. The treatment consisted of single as well as combined weed management methods as T₁: Broadcasting-One hand weeding, T₂: Broadcasting-Herbicide, T₃: Line sown- One hand weeding, T₄: Line sown-Herbicide + one hand weeding, T₅: Line sown- Mini tiller weeder, T₆: Line sown- herbicide + mini tiller and T₇: Line sown- One hand weeding + mini tiller. The experiment result showed that the combined application of early post emergence herbicide and mini tiller resulted the highest grain yield (8.62 Mt/ha) with minimum total weed density at 60 DAS (41.33/m²) and at harvest (68/m²) thus resulting minimum weed dry weight at 60 DAS (5.45 g/m²) and at harvest (10.64 g/m²). Sixteen different weed species belonging to 9 different families were identified in the experimental field. The highest benefit: cost (3.37) was obtained in the treatment Line sown-Herbicide + mini tiller weeder which was significantly higher compared to other treatments. Among the treatments applied, one with the application of herbicide in combination with mini tiller weeder was found to be the most effective one that resulted in the minimum weed density and minimum dry weight, higher grain and biological yield with the highest benefit cost ratio thus proving to be the most economical one. At the same time, application of mini tiller weeder as a single method was found to be the next better alternative for weed control in spring maize that could benefit the farmers in comparison to other single weed management practices.

A review of current water governance in Bangladesh: A Case study on administrative and performance of water policy

Faisal Ahmed

Being a riverine country with a huge population, Bangladesh is facing numerous problems in water governance. Bangladesh is facing unprecedented water pollution, water-borne diseases, river sedimentation, water scarcity in the dry season, flooding in monsoons, and discharging wastewater into the rivers. Most of the southern part is affected by salinity. Groundwater Arsenic contamination has reached the worst level in the world. Ninety-seven percent of the population in the country uses groundwater for drinking and domestic purposes as surface water is mismanaged. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to highlight Bangladesh's water governance current preview and its challenges.

Productivity of strawberry as influenced by mulch materials and gibberellin under net house condition

Shahjahan Ali — 2023-06-25

Plant growth regulators in combination with mulch materials have been shown to regulate physiological processes related to plant growth and development. The experiment was conducted to investigate the responses of different mulch materials and GA₃ on plant morphological, physiological and yield attributes of strawberries during the period from November 2020 to March 2021. The experimental treatments included three different mulch materials: black polythene, white polythene, saw dust, and control (no mulch); and GA₃ (0 and 200 ppm) were studied. According to the findings, strawberries grown with sawdust and GA₃ had the highest chlorophyll content (SPAD value) (48.23), relative water content (76.45%), leaf area (48.23 cm²), maximum number of fruits (19.66) and fruit yield (321 g/plant). In contrast, individual fruit weight (18g) was the highest for plants grown in sawdust without GA₃. Black polythene mulch showed no satisfactory improvement in the growth and yield characteristics of strawberry plants. Therefore, sawdust based mulching and GA₃ may be recommended to obtain better strawberry growth and yield.

Effect of different processing methods on functional and physiochemical properties of turmeric (Curcuma longa Linn.) rhizome Var. Kapurkot Haledo-1

Govinda Dhami — 2023-09-25

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of different processing methods on the functional and phytochemical properties of turmeric rhizomes. The experiment consisted of four treatments: Treatment 1 involved oven-drying the turmeric powder, Treatment 2 involved blanching followed by oven-drying, Treatment 3 involved cooking followed by oven-drying, and Treatment 4 involved sun-drying. Each treatment was replicated four times. The major findings of the study revealed that sun-drying (68.50%) and blanching/oven-drying (66.50%) positively influenced the dispersibility of turmeric powder. Blanching/oven-drying (0.32 g/ml) and cooking/oven-drying (0.30 g/ml) significantly improved the bulk density of turmeric powder (p<0.001), with no significant difference observed between these two treatments. The water absorption capacity of the turmeric powders ranged from 3.35 to 5.35 g/ml, with the sun-dried sample displaying the lowest capacity and the cooked/oven-dried sample demonstrating the highest capacity. Similarly, sun-dried powder exhibited the lowest swelling power and solubility, while heat treatment resulted in a substantial increase in both of these parameters. Additionally, the curcumin content was found to be highest in the cooked/oven-dried (3.11%) and sun-dried (2.99%) turmeric powder. In conclusion, this study suggests that blanching and cooking methods have wide applicability in the food industry to enhance the bulkiness of turmeric powder for appropriate packaging and handling. Moreover, these methods contribute to the characteristic flavor and aroma of turmeric. The findings emphasize the importance of considering different processing techniques for optimizing the functional and phytochemical properties of turmeric, thus enabling its effective utilization in various food applications.

Freshwater icthyo-faunal checklist of Roktodaho Beel in Bangladesh: Threats and conservation

David Rintu Das — 2023-06-25

A checklist of the native fishes of the Roktodaho beel of Adamdighi and Raninagar Upazila under the Bogura and Naogaon districts of Bangladesh, where data were collected monthly by field survey, focus group discussions, and personal interviews by using a semi-structured questionnaire and a pictorial check list of fish species from a professional fishing boat caught by different nets, traps, and hooks from July 2021 to June 2022. A total of 36 species under 8 orders belonging to 19 families were recorded, of which 29%, 28%, 25%, and 8% were available, seasonal, rare, and very rare, respectively. Among those, 8 fish species (22.22%) were in the threatened category (1 critically endangered, 2 endangered, and 5 vulnerable), according to the IUCN Bangladesh. Notably, the globally threatened Channa orientalis and Wallago attu were available in the study area. According to their place of residence, 24 (66.67%) of the fish were floodplain residents except Glossogobius giuris, which is a mixed residence (reverine, estuarine, and floodplain) species. This residence status of fish indicates that the species have chosen their ideal environment. Dewatering, katha fishing, and the use of unlicensed technology were the main dangers. Creating and maintaining fish sanctuaries, reducing human effects, passing fishing regulations, and increasing consciousness may all help to preserve the current supply of fish. Strategies for restoration must be performed in the Roktodaho beel to preserve the fish range.

Comparative Socio-Economics of Rice Grain and Seed Production in Kanchanpur, Nepal

Ramesh Prasad Bhatt

Rice is the number-one staple crop in Nepal. However, its production economics may differ when it is grown as grain for immediate consumption or as seed for further planting. Therefore, a study was conducted to compare the input use, productivity, and profitability of rice seed and grain production in the Kanchanpur district of Nepal. Altogether 94 samples were taken: 30 from rice seed growers and 64 from rice grain growers. Selected households were interviewed with a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Data entry and analysis were done using SPSS and MS Excel. The study showed that the productivity of rice as a seed crop (4.73 ± 0 t/ha) was found to be significantly higher than grain production (3.72 ± 0 t/ha), as well as that the benefit/cost ratio (BCR) of seed production (1.71) was much higher than that of rice grain production (1.23). When it comes to the use of the inputs, the majority of respondents who were rice seed producers employed herbicide to control weeds, insecticide to control insects, a mechanical mode of harvesting, and burning the stubble in the field. The major production constraint was found to be the unavailability of quality inputs (I = 0.76), and the major marketing bottleneck was found to be the unavailability of processing units (I = 0.71). This research suggests that input requirements and some agronomic management practices differ between rice seed and grain growers. Further, the productivity and profitability of seed production are higher than grain production in rice.

Blast resistance (Pi54) introgression in temperate rice (Oryza sativa L.) K343 using marker assisted backcrossing

Sharmishta Hangloo — 2023-03-25

In hill rice ecologies, Magnaporthe oryzae causes rice blasts and a significant biotic constraint. The study was aimed to develop rice blast-resistant lines/varieties through marker-assisted selection (MAS) by using the Pi54 gene, which provides resistance against the most prominent blast fungus isolate (PLP-1). The blast resistance gene Pi54 from the indica rice genotype DHMAS has been inserted into the genetic makeup of the temperate rice variety K343 in the current study. Three SSR markers (TRS26, TRS33, and RM206) are closely linked to the Pi54 locus used in this study. Marker RM206, located 0.7cM from the Pi54 gene, distinguished between donor and recipient alleles and co-segregated with the target gene. Thus, RM206 is used for Pi54 gene foreground selection. Sixty-one plants have the homozygous allele for the Pi54 in BC₁F₂, accounting for roughly 50% of the homozygous population. Polymorphic genome-wide SSR assessment of the BC₁F₂ genetic stock (K343*2/DHMAS) revealed recurrent parent genome (RPG) recovery above 75% in 4 plants. Therefore, M. oryzae race PLP-1, the dominant race used in this study, showed high resistance to the resistant response after inoculation.

Spot blotch disease resistance and heat stress tolerance in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Roshan Basnet — 2023-03-25

Spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is a major disease of wheat in warm and humid regions of Nepal. The fungus has a worldwide distribution but as a pathogen, it is the most aggressive under the conditions of high relative humidity and temperature associated with the low fertility of soils in Nepal. The yield loss due to the disease is very significant in Nepal. This experiment was conducted to identify the genotypes having a good level of resistance against spot blotch. Canopy temperature measurements using infrared thermometry, to assess variation in foliar blight resistance along with heat tolerance as an integrative selection criterion. The experiment set was comprising 52 genotypes and arranged in alpha lattice design with two replications in 2017/-2018 Directorate of agricultural research center, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal. Each plot size was 8 rows of 3 meters long. Three times disease scoring was done in Flag leaf, and Penultimate leaf method and calculated the Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Other data were analyzed by using R software (4.2.2). Canopy temperature, heading days, days to maturity, plant height, number of grains per spike (NGPS), number of tillers per meter square (NTPM), thousand-grain weight (TGW), and grain yield were found highly significant. The genotype 32 was found the highest yielder (5141 kg/ha) and canopy temperature 16.5⁰ C with a 279; 610 F; F-1AUDPC, respectively.

Effects of Brewery Spent Grain (BSG) included poultry diet on growth performance and meat quality of New Hampshire chicken

Luma Nidhi Pandey — 2023-03-25

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the inclusion effects of Dried Brewery Spent Grain (DBSG) to know its effect on growth performance and meat quality on poultry. Completely randomized design was used to compare the treatments in five replications. The treatments used were 15% DBSG (T1), 20% DBSG (T2), 25% DBSG (T3), Commercial feed (T4) and (0% DBSG) scavenging bird was used as a control. Each treatment contained 10 birds including 200 chickens in the whole investigation. The major factors body weight, carcasses and organs weight, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, and calcium were evaluated. Results showed that mean body weight of the experimental bird after 60 days was not significantly different (p>0.05) among the dietary treatments, i.e., T1 (781.46 g), T2 (738.36 g), T3 (728.91 g) and T4 (753.38 g). Carcass, breast muscle, thigh, wing, shank, liver and spleen were not significantly different (p>0.05) in weight between DBSG included diet and commercial feed. However, dressing percentage (59.3%) of T4 and gizzard (43.20 gm.) in T3 was significantly higher than other treatments. The significantly higher (p<0.05) amount of cholesterol found in T4 (312.01 mg/dl) followed by control diet (239.46 mg/dl), both of which were above than reference range (129-297 mg/dl). However, in other treatments i.e., T1, T2 and T3, the cholesterol content was in between the reference range. Similarly, same level (p>0.05) of total protein, albumin and calcium content in blood serum observed in BSG included diet and commercial diet. Hence, 15% to 20% inclusion of BSG could be the optimum level in diets of New Hampshire chickens.

Effect of mulch on yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) in Nepal

Sovika Bhattarai — 2023-03-25

Weeds are the most important biotic constraints to groundnut production in Nepal. They hinder the plant growth and increase the cost of production. A field based study was conducted from June, 2022 to December, 2022 at Oilseed Research Program, Sarlahi, Nepal to study the effect of mulch on the productivity of groundnut. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with 7 treatments viz., rice husk, rice straw, black polythene sheet, Lantana camara, living mulch, sawdust and control in three replications. The fertilizer dose used for groundnut was 20:40:20 NPK kg per hectare. The pod yield in rice husk mulch and living mulch treatments were significantly higher (2.07 and 1.84 tons per hectare, respectively) whereas the lowest yield (0.83 tons/hectare) was observed in plot with no treatment). Lower weed infestation with weed biomass 0.046 tons/ha for narrow leaf weeds and 0.021 tons/ha for broad leaf weeds was observed in L. camara mulching. Rice husk mulching produced significantly higher number of pods (29 pods per plant) with the highest benefit cost ratio (1.15) whereas black polythene mulching produced lower number of pods (23 pods per plant) with lowest benefit cost ratio (-0.33). Conclusively, the study's finding suggests that rice husk can be used as a mulching material to increase the productivity of groundnut.

Climate Trend and Farmers’ Perception to Climate Change and Variability in Hadero Tunto District, Southern Ethiopia

Currently, climate change and variability are a hot issue, and more attention needs to be paid to their impact on Ethiopia. Farmers’ perception plays a big role for successful implementation of adaptation strategies to reduce climate change impacts. The main objective of this study was to assess climate trend and farmers’ perception in Hadero Tunto district, Kembata Tembaro Zone, Southern Ethiopia. To determine historical climate trends, 30 years of rainfall and temperature data were obtained from the Hawassa branch of the Ethiopian National Meteorological Service, and trend analysis was performed. The multistage sampling technique was used to select 150 farm households to be surveyed. The modified Mann–Kendall and Sen’s slope estimator trend tests were applied to detect the statistical significance of the trend as well as the magnitude in the time series data. The historical average annual maximum and minimum temperatures both showed a significant upward trend. Historical annual rainfall shows a negligible downward trend over the period 1987-2016. This trend of rising temperatures and changing rainfall threatens the agriculture of smallholders, who are already limited by access to basic equipment and land use challenges. The descriptive result revealed that most of the people perceived long-term variability in pattern of rainfall amount and distribution and an increasing trend and variability of temperature. Based on these results, the study recommends that agricultural extension services be enhanced to sensitize the farmers about climate change thus improving their perception. Further, studies at a larger scale to illustrate the associations between farmers’ perceptions of climate change with meteorological data to figure out the risk of climate change are also critical.

Farmers’ Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change: Evidence from Rural Communities in Wenchi Municipality, Ghana

Jacob Kwakye

This paper assessed farmers’ adaptation strategies to climate change in Wenchi municipality of Ghana. The qualitative research methodology was used in the study. The target population was made up of household farmers in six selected communities and officials of MoFA and GMA. Questionnaires and structured interview guides were used to collect the datasets and administration was done through face-to-face interactions. Descriptive statistics were used to organize and interpret the data obtained. The data were analyzed thematically based on the objectives of the study. The major rainfall changes reported by respondents include the shortening of the planting season, reduction in rainfall amounts, extreme dry spells, heavy rainfall, erratic rainfall pattern, and late-onset and early cessation of rainfall. Temperature changes observed by respondents also include increased daytime temperatures and nighttime temperatures. The respondents agreed that temperatures and rainfall changes had negatively affected crop yields. Farmers have resorted to mixed cropping, planting of early maturing crop varieties, adjusting planting dates, irrigation farming, and soil-water conservation practices as their effective adaptation strategies. However, the study recommends that to sustain crop production over the long run in the municipality, better irrigation facilities be provided to Wenchi municipality and weather forecasts for the upcoming cropping season should be provided to farmers so that they can make informed adaptation decisions. In addition, adequate financial resources and extension services should be provided to farmers to assist them in purchasing agricultural machinery, agrochemicals, and other agricultural inputs to sustain and boost crop production in the municipality.

EFFECTS OF POSTHARVEST CHEMICAL PRESERVATIVES ON SHELF LIFE AND VARIOUS PHYSIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES OF TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum cv. Srijana)

Bronika Thapa

The present laboratory experiment was conducted at CRD design to study about the effects different chemical preservatives on various physiochemical attributes of tomato cv. srijana at ambient condition (27.7 ⁰ C, 83.33%). The effects of preservatives were studied on Shelf Life, Disease Infestation Days, Total Soluble Solid (TSS), Titratable Acidity (TA), pH and Weight Loss Percentage (WLP) at 2 days interval during storage period. The 7 treatments used were CaCl2 2%, CaCl2 4%, GA3 1%, GA3 3%, Sodium Benzoate 1000ppm, Sodium Benzoate 2000ppm and a control in distill water each having 3 replications. Each replication was dipped in chemical preservatives for 20 minute and kept in polythene bag. Among the treatments, fruits treated with GA3 3% recorded longest shelf life (31.33 days) followed by GA3 1% (27 days) and CaCl2 4% (22 days) over control (15.667 days). Disease infestation days recorded highest for GA3 3% (32.33days) followed by GA3 1% (28.33 days) and CaCl2 4% (23 days) over control (16.667 days). Physiological weight loss percentage at the day of data record was minimum for GA3 3% treated fruits and maximum for control. Similarly, TA, TSS and pH of treated fruits shows significant results over control.

CITRUS GREENING: A MAJOR THREAT TO CITRUS GROWERS IN NEPAL

Srijana Pandey

Citrus is the high value horticultural crop belonging to family Rutaceae contributing 27.27% of the total fruit area in Nepal. In recent years, citrus decline is the multi faceted issue for most of the citrus growers with abated production and productivity. Among the various causes of citrus decline, citrus greening is considered as the most devastating, rapidly expanding and highly incurable disease which wreaked havoc to the citrus industry across the whole globe. Citrus psylla is the major insect vector to spread this malady worldwide. There are still lacking the proper strategies to cope with the impact of citrus greening. However, integrated pest management strategies could be adopted in Nepal like use of tolerant rootstocks, proper quarantine system, guava intercropping, nutrient management, use of yellow sticky traps and vector control methods to reduce the greening infestation in citrus trees. This study aims to review all the relevant information regarding citrus greening, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and management practices which plays the crucial for the citrus growers.

Characterization and selection of thin-shelled walnut (Juglans regia L.) genotypes of Mustang, Nepal

Asmita Khanal — 2023-03-25

Walnut (Juglans regia L.) of seedling origin creates large variability within this crop. A research study was carried out at Directorate of Agricultural Research, Lumle, Kaski and Marpha, Mustang to characterize and deciphers the variability of thin-shelled walnut for further selection, conservation and variety registration. Walnut orchard of Mustang district was surveyed in March, 2018 and 50 walnut trees were labeled according to its flowering and flushing time. 36 accessions of thin-shelled walnut were characterized on 17 different parameters regarding growth habit, bearing habit, fruit and kernel characteristics. Around 88.89% trees exhibited terminal fruiting habit and remaining showed lateral fruiting habit. Three type of tree shape was noticed as spreading round, semi-erect and erect. Huge variation in nut shape was observed having 50% trees were with circular nuts. Four types of shell strength was recorded; 11.11% accessions having papery shell, 27.78% having weak shell, 47.22% having intermediate shell and 13.88 having strong shell strength. Average nut yield of trees ranged from 15-75 kg with an average of 26.67 kg. Nut weighted from 5.96-18.99 g with an average of 11.14 g. Kernel weight ranged from 2.8-8.92 g. More than 50% shelling was recorded in 13 accessions. The kernel quality of 14 accessions (out of 36) showed 5 rank (Excellent quality); and remaining 22 accessions showed 4 rank (Good quality). Based on this characterization, 13 accessions were selected and recommended for further multiplication and variety registration.

Artificial propagation of Asian catfish, Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) in Asia: A review

Abu Bakker Siddique Khan — 2023-03-25

Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a popular food fish of Indian sub-continent due to its high nutritional value. Earlier many workers have carried out studies on feeding and breeding biology of this fish species but convulsive information on the same is not available. So, a survey of published literatures on the induced breeding of C. batrachus has been carried out to consolidate the available information. Environmental factors play an important role in regulating reproduction in fishes. Pituitary gland extract, HCG and synthetic hormones viz., ovaprim and ova tide are successfully being tested for the induced breeding of fishes by various researchers under different climatic conditions, with varying degree of success. Chasm of information has been pointed out for further study mainly on age group wise variation in food preference and correlation of breeding periodicity with hydrological parameters and photoperiod.

RICE EAR HEAD BUG (Leptocorisa acuta Thumb.) MANAGEMENT: USING CHEMICAL INSECTICIDE IN BANIYANI, JHAPA, NEPAL

Sabina Dhimal

A field experiment was conducted at the Rice Super zone, Baniyani Jhapa, Nepal for the evaluation of different commercial insecticides against rice ear head bug (Leptocorisa acuta Thumb.) during spring season from January 2022 to June 2022. The variety Chaite-2 was used for the study and experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design(RCBD) with three replications and 7 treatments viz. imidacloprid 17.8 SL@ 25g a.i ha^-1, thiamethoxam 25% WG@ 25g a.i ha^-1 , lambda cyhalothrin 5%EC@ 250g a.i ha^-1, buprofezin15% + acephate 35% WP@ 750g a.i ha^-1,profenophos40%+ cypermethrin 4% EC@ 660g a.i ha^-1, chloropyriphos50% + cypermethrin 5% EC@ 425g a.i ha^-1 including untreated control. Lambda cyhalothrin 5%EC was found to be superior over rest of the treatments after first spray by recording lowest ear head bug population (11.2±1.97) and it was at par with imidacloprid 17.8% SL (13.7±1.01). Similarly, after second spray significantly lowest bug population was found in lambda cyhalothrin 5%EC (6.3±0.44) which was statistically similar with imidacloprid 17.8% SL (6.3±1.59). Lambdacyhalothrin 5%EC (2.9±0.58) recorded minimum grain fleck percentage followed by buprofezin15% + acephate 35% WP (4.4±0.56). Moreover, the grain yield was highest in lambdacyhalothrin 5%EC (5.23±0.08 t ha^-1) treated plots followed by thiamethoxam 25% WG (5.17±0.23 t ha^-1) treated plots.

Blast disease a major threat to food security: A review of pathogen and strategies to control

Shraddha Timsina

Rice (Oryza Sativa) is an important staple food that is responsible to feed more than 50% of the world’s population. Its major disease is Rice blast which is the most destructive disease worldwide. The objective of this review is to know about the rice blast pathogen, its disease cycle, symptoms, epidemiology, and management strategies. Rice blast affects yield loss up to 80% under favorable conditions and it is caused by the fungi of group Ascomycota, Magnaporthe oryzae (Anamorphic- Pyricularia oryzae). Rice blasts affect the aboveground tissue of the plant at any growth stage, from seedling to the heading stage, causing total crop failure. Pathogens produce lesions on different plant parts affecting the leaf, collar, neck, panicle, and even the glumes whose severity highly depends on varietal resistance and environmental condition. The low night temperature (15-20 °C), high relative humidity (93-99%), and cloudy weather favor conidia germination, sporulation, and infection. Considering the impact of this disease on rice production, different control strategies have been used cultural, botanical, nutrient management, biotechnological, and chemical methods.

Use of poultry manure in organic farming system: A review of potential human and environmental health risks that must be mitigated

Poultry manure has great potential to reduce overdependence on inorganic fertilizers for crop production among resource-constrained farming communities. However, its use on a large scale could possess short- and long-term risks. These risks fall into three main categories, namely human and other livestock, crop health, and environmental.

This review research presented the potential value of chicken manure in soil health and food security stability. The research also presented the critical risks likely to hinder the large-scale use of poultry manure. Finally, this research has intensively presented scientifically-proven strategies that could be adapted and adopted to help mitigate the current risks. Active government involvement through formulating and enacting appropriate policies and laws provides the first step in risk mitigation. Other practices, such as manure treatment and the adoption of better agronomic practices, are essential and have proved to be critical for the safe use of poultry manure.

Poultry manure has excellent potential to reduce overdependence on inorganic fertilizers. To do this effectively, appropriate policies and laws should be enacted to encourage the use of safe products in the poultry sector, proper manure collection, and treatment and use. Farmers should choose and apply manure within the best agronomic principles.

EFFECT OF GROWING MEDIA ON DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF TOMATO (lycopersicum esculentum ) SEEDLINGS.

Able Shrestha

The research was conducted in the Baglung district of Nepal from June to July 2020 in a polytunnel to evaluate the effect of growing media on different varieties of tomato (lycopersicum esculentum) seedlings. The experiment was carried out in a Two Factorial Completely Randomized Design (Factorial CRD) where one factor was a variety and the other was a growing media with twelve treatments and three replications. The growing media used were cocopeat, vermicompost, and soil mixed with soil in a ratio of 1:1 whereas, the tomato varieties used were Nova Dana, Srijana, Samjhana, and Win Sari. Tomato seedlings on the 16^th, 21^st, and 26^th days after sowing were used for observation. The result showed a significant effect of treatments on germination percentage, plant diameter, plant height, root length, number of leaves, and root-to-shoot length ratio. The experiment showed that the germination percentage was significantly higher in the combination of cocopeat and Nova (97.22%) whereas, the lowest germination percentage (23.61%) was observed in both combinations of soil and Samjhana, and soil and Srijana. Similarly, higher plant height, root length, no. of leaves, and root-to-shoot length ratio were observed in the combination of cocopeat and Nova. The lowest plant height, root length, and no. of leaves were observed in the combination of soil and Samjhana. Hence, the combination of cocopeat and Nova as found as optimum growing media and variety to produce tomato seedlings.

A review on blast of rice: disease cycle of a pathogen, symptoms, epidemiology, and management strategies.

Shraddha Timsina

Rice (Oryza Sativa) is an important staple food that feeds more than 50% of the world’s population and has been contributing 23% of the food calories to the world. Production of rice has been harshly affected by various biotic and abiotic factors. Among them, the Rice blast is the most disastrous leading to potential yield loss ranging up to 80% under favorable conditions. Rice blast caused by fungi of group ascomycota, Magnaporthe oryzae (Anamorphic- Pyricularia oryzae), affect the plant of all growth stages, seedling to heading stage. Symptom of the blast is seen on different part of the rice plant, i.e leaf, collar, neck, panicle, and even in the glumes. The losses from the disease annually were estimated to feed over 60 million individuals. The low night temperature (15-20 °C), high relative humidity (93-99%), and cloudy weather favor conidia germination, sporulation, and infection. Hence, this article portrays wholesome tactics and management measures including cultural, botanical, nutrient management, biotechnological, and chemical methods which have been a boon to managing the blast diseases along with their impact. The best control strategies along with the pathogen its biology, disease cycle, epidemiology, and symptoms of the disease have been accessed and compiled in this paper.

Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth, yield, and soil nutrient status in okra (Abelmoschus esculentus cv. Arka Anamika)

Saraddha Khasu Magar — 2023-03-25

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus cv. Arka Anamika) is one of the most widely grown vegetable crops in the tropics during the spring, summer, and Kharif seasons. One of the major constraints of low productivity of okra and soil deterioration is due to the inappropriate and sole use of synthetic fertilizer. So, to address the yield gap, an experiment was conducted in Gokuleshwor, Baitadi Nepal from 23^rd March to 15^th July 2021 to study the effect of integrated nutrient management (INM) on growth, and yield and soil nutrient status in okra". The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 8 treatments and 3 replication T₈ gave maximum plant height (37.21 cm), stem diameter (4.04 cm), numbers of leaves (14.33), and a number of pods (8.07) and minimum plant height (23.18 cm) and a number of leaves (9.00) were observed in T₃whereas minimum steam diameter (2.87cm) a and number of pods (2.87) were observed in T_6.It was observed that treatment T₈ produced a maximum yield (2.10 kg) and treatment T₃ produces the minimum yield (1.24 kg). Highest post-harvest available nitrogen (0.1167%), phosphorus (85.20 kg/ha), potassium (229.61 kg/ha), organic matter (2.31%) and pH (6.25) was found in treatment T₈. This study suggests integrating vermicompost and synthetic fertilizer as a potential source for better growth, and high yield of okra thus more experiments on dosage optimization and SSNM should be focused onwards for long term sustainability.

Determination of Different Rates of Farmyard Manure application on productivity of Irish Potato (Solanum Tuberosum L.) at Southern Oromia, Ethiopia

The field experiments were conducted during the two successive winter seasons to study the response of potato plant (Solanum tuberosum L.) by the application of organic FYM rates on growth, yield and yield components and to identify their economically appropriate rates that maximize yield of Irish potato. The experiment was arranged in four level of farmyard manure (0, 3, 6 and 10 tons ha^-1) in one way Anova with blocking of RCBD with 3 replications. The result of the experiment indicated that main effect of FYM significantly (P<0.05) influenced most growth and yield and yield related parameters except, on days to emergency, flowering and unmarketable yield. Application of farmyard manure improved the productivity of potato plants and it was increased with increasing of the rate of farmyard manure levels up to 10 t ha^-1 in both seasons. The highest plant height (65.43 cm) was obtained at 10 t ha^-1 FYM, while the lowest plant height (37.00 cm) was recorded at control treatment. The maximum stem number per plant (8.5) was recorded at 10 t ha^-1FYM, while the minimum (3) was recorded at control treatment. And also the highest (265.7 kt ha^-1) marketable tuber yield was observed with 10 t ha^-1 of FYM levels and the lowest (143.9 kt ha^-1) was recorded with the zero treatment. The maximum (308.7 kt ha^-1) fresh total tuber yield was recorded with 10 t ha^-1 FYM rates and the least (206.1 t ha^-1) total tuber yield was recorded at rate of zero application. Therefore treatments with farmyard manure gave the highest yield with high significant difference in comparison to the rest treatments. Considering the whole our economic analysis result proved that the maximum net benefit of 350962 Birr ha^-1 with an acceptable MRR of 4088.95 % was obtained from treatment that received 10 t ha^-1 of FYM fertilizer rates and could be recommended for production of potato in the study area.

Reactions of anthocyanin rich in maize genotypes to low temperature treatments according to photosynthesis, gas exchange properties, and bio-active compounds

Elif ÖZDEMİR — 2023-03-25

Low temperatures during the early growing stages limit the productivity of maize considerably. Investigating responses of different coloured corns (Zea mays L.) to chilling may reveal alternative genotypes which can be preferred under early sowing conditions of water-shortage farming areas. The aim of this study is determining whether the color factor affects the tolerance to chilling in maize and which properties are effective on the low temperature tolerance. We exposed corns with different colours (white, yellow, red, purple) to different temperatures [8°C, 12°C, 16°C, 25°C (control)] and analysed the effects of temperature on morphological, physiological, bio-active properties and stress indicators. Using 14-day old seedlings, we noted that purple corn had the highest seedling length, seedling weight, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll B and total phenolic content in the 8°C and followed by white (photosynthesis rate, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll A and carotenoids), yellow (transpiration rate, sub stomatal CO₂, and total antioxidant activity) and red corns (water use efficiency, total anthocyanin content and proline). On the other hand, white corn maintained its superiority in other treatments, receiving the highest values in 9 of 17 characteristics at 12°C, in 8 of 17 at 16°C and in 10 of 17 in the control. Performance of purple corn in the 8°C was the most remarkable one in all genotypes and treatments. Based on our results, it has been concluded that white and purple corns are more chilling tolerant genotypes and may be alternative for early sowing conditions in drought farming areas.

Efficacy of various botanical pesticides against leaf eating caterpillar (Artona chorista Jordan) on large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) field of Sankhuwasabha District, Nepal

Sujata Kattel — 2023-03-25

Four treatments (Dadaguard Plus (0.05%), mugwort (Titepati) Oil (0.05%), azadiractin (Neem) Oil (0.25%), and tobacco extract (1%) of different botanicals and an absolute control) were evaluated in a field experiment against a lepidopteran pest, the leaf eating caterpillar infesting large cardamom, in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with an area of 4.2× 3.88 m²in each experimental unit having 5 treatments with 4 replications at Khandbari, Sankhuwasabha, Nepal. Leaf-eating caterpillars cause a white papery thin epidermis-like structure at the primary stage and defoliation of the plant, leaving the midrib of the leaves, symptoms at the severe stage. Treatment-wise application of botanicals was done by using a high-volume knapsack sprayer, and the number of larvae per plant was counted at different time intervals, viz., 3, 5, and 7 days after spraying (DAS), to access the effectiveness of the treatments. The botanical pesticides caused significant differences in their effects against the leaf-eating caterpillar. Among the different botanicals, Dadaguard Plus (0.05 %) was found highly effective in managing the leaf-eating caterpillar in large cardamom, followed by neem oil (0.25%), tobacco extract (1%), titepati oil (0.05%), and untreated control, respectively. Dadaguard could be considered an effective botanical in the successful management of the pest leaf eating caterpillar due to its efficacy.

Performance of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under Different Mulching Conditions and Zinc Levels at Rolpa, Nepal

Mulching activities have a positive impact on microclimates and crop productivity. Use of the right mulching techniques is a crucial first step in replacing the issues with irrigation and weed infestation in potato production. To assess the performance of potatoes at two doses of zinc under different mulching conditions, a field experiment was laid out in a two-factorial RCBD comprising eight treatments with three replications using the Rolpa-Local variety in Liwang, Nepal. Silver on black plastic-T1, black plastic-T2, plant residue-T3 and control-T4 were used with two levels of zinc (0 and 4kg/ha). Both plastic mulches were found to have a significant influence on germination rate, plant height, tuber number, tuber weight, and yield per plant. The highest germination percentage was observed in black plastic mulch (94.67%). However, all other observations for growth and yield parameters were found to be significantly superior in the silver on black plastic mulch condition, with plant height (87.28cm), leaf count (145.70), number of tubers per plant (22.16), and a total yield of 21.83 t/ha. Similarly, all the yield attributing characters were found to be significantly different among zinc levels, with the highest total yield of 17.70t/ha at 4kg/ha of zinc. Silver on black plastic mulch and 4kg/ha of zinc level resulted in the highest B:C ratios of 3.18 and 2.23 respectively. The results showed that using silver on black plastic mulch with a zinc level of 4 kg/ha improved both vegetative growth and potato yield, with favorable B:C ratios resulting in higher profitability.

Constraints determination and financial analysis of mandarin production in Darchula district, Nepal

Yagyaraj Joshi

The study was conducted in Darchula district under the whole command area of PMAMP, citrus zone to find the major mandarin production constraints and to evaluate financial feasibility among mandarin farmers. Survey was done during the months of March to May in five major citrus producer local bodies. From the sampling frame of 120 farmers, appropriate sample size of 95 was found by using Raosoft-software at 95% confidence interval and proportionate stratified sampling was done for each locality. Mandarin farming is a very feasible enterprise with a BC ratio and payback period of 2.2 and 6.7 years respectively. Average mandarin productivity of Darchula district is found to be 4.78 quintal per ropani, which is not significantly different from the national average. Mahakali municipality is a major contributor with highest production and productivity. Constraints faced by mandarin producers were categorized into main three types namely, input constraints, production constraints and marketing as well as post- harvest constraints. Lack of high yielding sampling followed by lack of subsidy is found major technical and socioeconomic constraints respectively. Poor irrigation facility, high physical damage of fruits and lack of suitable price of mandarin is found as major production constraint, post-harvest constraint and marketing constraint respectively. Major insect pests in mandarin production are red ants, bugs and fruit flies. Major diseases are citrus greening, fruit drop, gummosis and shooty mould. Thus, from the findings of this study, related agencies are needed to supply input subsidies as well as training among poor farmers to increase productivity of mandarin throughout the district.

Graded level of nitrogen and mulching effect on growth and yield parameters of tomato in Arghakhanchi, Nepal

Aakriti Kafle — 2023-03-25

A field experiment was carried out to find out the effect of different levels of nitrogen and mulching on growth and yield parameters of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) var. VL443 at commercial tomato farm in Sandhikharkha, Arghakhanchi from February – June 2022. The eight treatments were laid out in two factorial RCBD with three replications. The treatment combinations were T1 (Non-mulching with 0 kgha^-1), T2 (Non-mulching with 50 kgha^-1), T3 (Non- mulching with 100 kgha^-1), T4 (Non-mulching with 150 kgha^-1), T5 (Mulching with 0 kgha^-1), T6 (Mulching with 50 kgha^-1), T7 (Mulching with 100 kgha^-1), and T8 (Mulching with 150 kgha^-1). Growth parameters, yield, and yield attributing traits were recorded. The result indicated that the 150 kgha^-1 dose of N application contributes to the higher plant height (178.13 cm), the number of leaves (47.83), fruit length (72.50 mm), fruit diameter (58.83 mm), Individual fruit weight (71.67 g) and yield (2.51 kg/ plant). Similarly, plastic mulch contributes significantly higher plant height (173.6 cm), the number of leaves (47.30), fruit length (68.84 mm), fruit diameter (54.20 mm), Individual fruit weight (72.52 g) and yield (2.53 kg/ plant) as compared to non-mulched condition. Furthermore, fruit yield per hectare in mulching with 150 kg^-1 plot was significantly higher in comparison to non-mulching with 0 kgha^-1plot. So, the application of 150 kgha^-1nitrogen along with plastic mulching is recommended to increase the yield of tomatoes under the plastic tunnels in Arghakhanchi.

Poverty and livelihood analysis of Former Enclave (Chitmahal) people in a selected area of Bangladesh

Mohammad Ataur Rahman — 2023-03-25

With the aim of creating development programs for the residents of the former enclave (Chitmahal), a survey of their poverty and livelihoods is essential. In this study, socioeconomic factors, poverty levels, changes in livelihood assets, and respondent satisfaction levels with social institutions in the study area were all assessed. A total of 100 respondents were randomly selected from Debiganj Upazila in the Panchagarh district of Bangladesh. A survey approach was employed to obtain the data. Respondents were able to respond quickly to questions and indicate their level of agreement with five points using a five-point Likert scale. The data were analyzed using the Direct Caloric Intake (DCI) approach and DFID's Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The main finding of the study was that the average age of the head of family was within the working age range. The average size of a household was medium. The head of family has only completed nearly five years of school. Three-fifths of those surveyed had high household incomes. The majority of households had poverty. After becoming a citizen of Bangladesh, the five asset classes- human assets, social assets, natural assets, physical assets and financial assets were positively changed. Satisfaction with social institutions has been moderate. In order to reduce poverty and improve the standard of living of households in the research area, social institutions need to be more efficient.

Growth performance and survival of oyster, Saccostrea cucullata (Born, 1778) and green mussel, Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) cultivated in Bangladesh Coast

Abu Bakker Siddique Khan — 2023-03-25

Oyster and mussel farming along the coasts and the desire to increase fishing revenue have created a boom in these types of farms. An experiment on culture of edible oyster (Saccostrea cucullata) and green mussel (Perna viridis) was performed at Gangamoti estuary in Kuakata, Bay of Bengal coast of Bangladesh from December 2021 to March 2022 to find out the appropriate culture method of the oyster, S. cucullata and green mussel, P. viridis. Initially, the average shell heights of S. cucullata and P. viridis were 8.8±1.62 and 6.9±1.89 cm, respectively; where average weights were153.4±13.23 and 84.78±11.78 g, respectively. After the culture period, oysters shell height and weight grew up to 9.1±1.98 cm and 163.2±12.54 g, respectively in rectangular basket and 8.9±1.45 cm and 157.2±11.31 g, respectively in velon screen bag. In case of oysters, the rectangular basket and velon screen bag displayed the minor progress in specific growth rate, 0.09±0.01 and 0.07±0.03, respectively. But green mussels did not show any growth rate. Oysters cultured in rectangular basket showed total mortality at day-90 and velon screen bag at day-75. Green mussels showed 100% mortality within 21 days of culture. Our experiment was the first attempt to culture these two mollusks in the Kuakata coast of Bangladesh. However, further intensive researches would be required to evaluate the culture feasibility of these two mollusks’ species in the Kuakata coast of Bangladesh.

Assessment of soil fertility status in Rupani Rural Municipality, Saptari, Nepal.

Honey Raj Mandal Honey Raj Mandal

As soil fertility is one of the most important factors for soil productivity, soil fertility management is important for sustainable soil management. So, this study was carried out to determine the soil fertility status of the Rupani Rural Municipality, Saptari, Nepal. Altogether 60 samples were collected randomly from the depth of (0-30) cm. The exact location of the samples was recorded using a handheld GPS device. All the collected samples were analyzed at a Regional soil testing laboratory, Saptari to find out their pH, Soil texture, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Organic matter status. Moreover, fertility status maps were made by using Arc GIS 10.8 software. Primarily, the study area consists of 51.66% clay and 18.33% sandy loam soil. The soil pH was strongly acidic to slightly alkaline with pH values ranging from 4.5-8.0. Soil organic matter (0.42-3.21) %, nitrogen (0.02-0.16) %, phosphorus (40.1-282.35) kg/ha, and potassium (64.8-729.6) kg/ha are available in the soil with the status of low to high in the study area. To improve the potentiality of crops and maintain the nutrient status of soil use of site-specific fertilizer, reduction in the use of chemical fertilizer, and different sustainable soil management practices were adopted.

EFFECT OF MYCORRHIZA ON VEGETATIVE GROWTH OF MANDARIN (Citrus reticulata Blanco) SEEDLINGS IN NURSERY OF GORKHA DISTRICT

Arjun Dahal

Citrus is among the top fruits which is cultivated around the world and among citrus Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) comes at first which belongs to family Rutaceae. A field experiment was conducted in Gorkha, Nepal from April 2021 to July 2022 with the objective of studying the effect of different doses of mycorrhiza in the vegetative growth of mandarin seedlings. The experiment was set up in a randomly complete block design (RCBD) with five treatments along with four replications. The treatments were named T1: Control, T2: 3g/seedling, T3: 6g/seedling, T4: 9g/seedling and T5: 11g/seedling, respectively. Eighteen months old seedlings of local Mandarin were uprooted and transplanted in finely pulverized and prepared seedbed and mycorrhiza was added subsequently according to treatment. Data collection was done for plant height, number of leaves and stem diameter. Analysis of data was done through Microsoft- Excel, R- Studio and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results of the study showed that plants treated with 9g of mycorrhiza produced highest number of leaves, longer stem length, larger stem diameter as compared to plants treated with other doses. Control treatment (0g) produces the least number of plant leaves, height, and stem diameter. Based on the findings it can be concluded that Mycorrhizal dose 9g/seedling can be the best for vegetative growth of Mandarin seedlings.

IN VITRO EVALUATION OF DIFFERENT CHEMICAL FUNGICIDES FOR THE CONTROL OF Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn

govinda07

An in-vitro experiment was conducted for the evaluation of different chemical fungicides against Rhizoctonia solani by using poisoned food technique at Plant Pathology Division of Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) situated at Khumaltar, Lalitpur. The pathogen was isolated from infected broad leaf mustard. The experiment was conducted in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications per treatment. Seven fungicides namely, Saaf (carbendazim 12% + mancozeb 63%), Bavistin (carbendazim 50%), Vacomil Plus (metalaxyl 15% + copper oxychloride 35%), Nativo (tebuconazole 50% + trifloxystrobin 25%), Sectin (fenamidone 10% + mancozeb 50%), Kingstival (dimethomorph 50%) and Topcare (azoxystrobin 50%) were taken for the evaluation. Two levels of concentrations (100 ppm and 200 ppm) were used for each fungicide and concentration was calculated based on active ingredients (a.i.) of the pesticides. At higher concentration i.e. 200 ppm, Bavistin, Nativo and Saaf showed complete inhibition of the mycelial growth whereas at lower concentration i.e. 100 ppm, Bavistin was only completely effective. Sectin and Topcare were also highly effective in inhibiting the growth of R. solani. The efficacy of Kingstival and Vacomil Plus were much lesser than others. The active ingredients carbendazim and tebuconazole showed the highest degree of mycelial growth inhibitions compared to others. The fungicides that are found effective for inhibition of mycelial growth of R. solani in this study should be further tested in the field conditions in order to verify their efficacy as well as to determine their optimum doses of application.

Nursing and management of early produced larvae of Thai pangas (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) using greenhouse concept

David Rintu Das — 2023-03-25

This experiment was conducted for the development of nursing techniques of early produced larvae of Thai pangus (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) using Greenhouse concept for a period of 40 days from 10^th February to 20^th March 2020. The experiment was designed into two treatments (i) Greenhouse pond (GP) and (ii) Control or open ponds (CP) having three replicates each. Greenhouse concept was used for increasing the temperature during the winter month for proper growth and survival of the spawn. For this purpose, three ponds were covered with transparent polyethylene sheet fastened into bamboo frame and three ponds with no such covering. All the nursery ponds were stocked at a density of 20 g hatchling/decimal with 3 days old P. hypophthalmus. After 40 days of nursing period, the highest mean final length, weight gain and survival rate of fry were found to be 9.75 cm, 12.44g and 73.19% in greenhouse pond where in Control ponds it was 6.39 cm, 7.22g and 58.08%, respectively. A significantly higher (p<0.05) mean gross production of 6.07 kg/ decimal was found in greenhouse pond where in Control ponds it was 2.80 kg/ decimal in 40 days of nursing period. Water quality parameters were found to be better with good primary production in the green house ponds due to retaining day light temperature by polyethylene sheet. Results from the present experiment indicated that greenhouse technique can be suitable for the nursing and management of early produced larvae of Thai pangas with proper growth and good survival rate.

Evaluation of the characterization and heavy metals remediation potential of biosurfactant produced by Aeromonas hydrophila S62A

Bright Obidinma Uba — 2023-06-25

The evaluation of the heavy metals remediation potential and characterization of biosurfactant produced by Aeromonas hydrophilia strain S62A isolated from water and sediment samples of Imo River, Nigeria was studied. In this study, 12 bacterial isolates were isolated from contaminated water and sediment samples using spread plate technique and primarily screened for biosurfactant production using emulsification index, oil displacement and surface tension tests. Secondary biosurfactant production was carried out in a modified mineral salt medium under optimized conditions for 5 days and the produced biosurfactant was characterized and evaluated for its heavy metals removal efficiencies using standard analytical procedures. The result showed that the bacterial strain identified as Aeromonas hydrophilia S62A out of the 12 isolate strains had the highest and lowest values of 66.66 %, 23.76 cm and 90 mN/m for emulsification index, oil displacement and surface tension tests, respectively. The purified biosurfactant was found to be glycophospholipid as confirmed by the gas chromatographic (GC) and Fourier Transformed Infra-Red Spectroscopic (FTIR) profiles with 5 mg/mL critical micelles concentration (CMC). Statistically, significant differences (P < 0.05) were detected among the means of all surfactant CMC treatment in comparison to their untreated controls with 2 × CMC lead having the highest (98.92 %) and control (water) having the lowest (2.09 %) heavy metals removal efficiencies. Therefore, the present study has produced glycophospholipid biosurfactant with unique structural and chemical features and composition and could be exploited in environmental remediation of heavy metals contaminated ecosystems.

Assessing socio-economic patterns and trends of livelihoods of fisher’s community of the Old Brahmaputra River: A case study in Jamalpur, Bangladesh

Md. Fakhrul Islam — 2022-12-25

The current study was assessed the socio-economic patterns and trends of livelihoods of the Old Brahmaputra River fisher's community in the Jamalpur district from July 2021 to June 2022. The livelihood status was analyzed regarding age distribution, family size and composition, religion, marital status, education levels, living standards, diseases, healthcare, electricity, sanitation, drinking water facilities, fishing, and employment status. Most fishermen (45.76%) were 35-50 years old, with 91.53% were Muslim. The average family size for a fisher was medium, with 5-7 members. 33.9% were illiterate, 37.29% could only sign, 20.34% finished primary school, and 8.47% completed SSC. Most fishermen had tin roofs 59.32%, straw roofs 22.03%, semi-paka houses 11.87%, and paka houses 6.78%. Approximately 45.76% of fishers relied on village doctors, 33.9% on the Upazila Health Complex, 8.47% on Kobiraj, and 11.87% on MBBS doctors. Approximately 93.22% of fishermen's homes were equipped with electricity. Fishing was the main activity for more than 57.63% of the fishers. Fishermen have suggested specific management strategies to halt the trend of decreasing fish catches and increasing fish production. These include restricting the use of harmful gear, prohibiting the catching of juvenile fish, creating fish sanctuaries, and releasing fish fry.

Performance of black gram varieties to mungbean yellow mosaic disease at different sowing dates under spring and summer condition in western terai of Nepal

Laxman Aryal — 2022-12-25

A field experiment was conducted at Grain Legumes Research Program (GLRP), Khajura, Banke, Nepal during spring and summer season 2019 to elucidate the effect of date of sowing and blackgram varieties on mungbean yellow mosaic disease severity and yield. The experiment was conducted in 2 factorial randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Factor A comprised date of sowing (S1= 5^th April 2019, S2= 20^thApril 2019, S3= 5^th May 2019, S4= 20^th May 2019, S5= 25^th July 2019, S6= 10^th August 2019, S7= 25^th August 2019 and S8= 10^th September 2019) and factor B (Variety): V1= Khajura Mas 1 and V2= Rampur Mas. Disease severity was scored in 1-6 scale. Results revealed that mean values for days to disease appearance, disease score and grain yield in spring season sowing was 26 days, 3.72 and 635 kg/ha, whereas for summer season sowing was 14 days, 5.04 and 185 kg/ha. Among the date of sowing, April 5^th sown crop recorded minimum mean disease score (3.1) with highest yield (719 kg/ha). Whereas, September 10^th sown crop recorded maximum mean disease score (5.1) with lowest yield (174 kg/ha). Black gram varieties showed significant response to mean disease score and yield at early sowing condition but when the sowing date was delayed, there was no significant response of varieties to mean disease score and yield. The contribution of regression (R²=0.791) and (R²= 0.655) for spring season and summer season indicate that 79% and 65% of the blackgram yield would be affected by disease for the respective season. Therefore, it is better to sow blackgram in early season to escape mungbean yellow mosaic disease and minimize yield loss.

Determinants of adoption and preferences for Aman rice mutant variety Binadhan-7 cultivation in Bangladesh

M.H. Rahman — 2022-12-25

This study was conducted in fourteen agricultural regions of Bangladesh namely-Mymensingh, Jashore, Cumilla, Bogura, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Dhaka, Khulna, Chattagram, Rangamati, Barishal and Faridpur. The specific objectives of the present study were: i) to examine the determinants to adoption of rice mutant variety Binadhan-7; and ii) to identify the major preferences and constraints of rice mutant variety Binadhan-7 cultivation; A multistage stratified random sampling technique was used to collect the data. Marginal coefficients indicate that if male farmers increased by 100%, the probability of adopting Binadhan-7 variety would increase at 38 times more likely to adopt the variety. If the farm size of Binadhan-7 increased by 100%, the probability of adopting the variety would be increased by 0.07%. A farmer who has access to agricultural extension service is about 39 times more likely to adopt the variety. Again, if the yield increased by 100%, adopting the varieties would increase by 0.08%. The marginal coefficients of duration and soil fertility are negatively significant, indicating that if these two variables increased by 100%, the probability of adopting the varieties would decrease by 0.18% and 28%, respectively. Among the preferences, the highest preference was 88.93% for short duration followed by poverty reduction (88.57%), and lastly high yielding (81.43%). Among the constraints, the highest constraint was 80.71% for high labour price followed by lack of godown (69.64%), marketing problem (67.50%), destroy by bird (66.79%) and lack of quality seed (48.93%).

Effect of municipal solid waste compost and NPK fertilizer on growth, yield and protein content of rice (cv. BRRI dhan49)

Tania Sultana — 2022-12-25

An experiment was conducted to study the effect of municipal solid waste compost (MSWC) on growth, yield and protein content as well as to know the effect of combined application of MSWC and NPK fertilizers in rice (cv. BRRI dhan49). There were six treatments including- T₀ = Control (No fertilizer or no MSWC); T₁= 100% Recommended Doses of Fertilizers (RDF) NPK; T₂ = (MSWC @ 5 t ha^-1+ 75% RDF); T₃= (MSWC @ 7. 5t ha^-1+ 50% RDF); T₄= (MSWC @ 10 t ha-1 + 25% RDF); T₅= (MSWC @ 10 t ha^-1). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Our results showed that the integrated application of MSWC and different RDF% had a significant impact on various plant growth and yield parameters including plant height, panicle length, number of effective tillers per hill, number of filled grains per panicle, 1000-grain weight (g), and grain and straw yield of rice. In case of T₂ treatment, highest grain yield (5.70 t ha^-1), straw yield (7.71 t ha^-1) and protein
content (5.875%) were obtained. Thus, the result indicated that combined application of MSWC with NPK performed better than the single application of either MSWC or NPK fertilizer.

Correlation coefficient and path analysis of yield and yield attributing characters of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes under reproductive drought stress in the Terai region of Nepal

Preeti Kayastha — 2022-12-25

An experimental trial of nine rice genotypes was conducted in the Agronomy field of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) Paklihawa Campus under a randomized block design layout with three replications from July to November of 2022. The aim was to study genetic variability and analyze the character association of yield and yield-attributing components in rice genotypes and their direct and indirect effect on grain yield under reproductive drought stress conditions. Observations on days to flowering (50%), plant height, panicle length, panicle weight, number of grains/panicles, effective panicle/m², grain yield, and 1000 kernel weight were recorded. Grain yield showed a highly positive significant correlation with effective panicle/m² (0.713**), followed by plant height (0.347) and panicle length (0.289). The path coefficient analysis of different traits revealed the highest positive direct effect of the effective panicle per m² (0.748963), followed by panicle length (0.24145) and plant height (0.227505). The highest negative direct effect was shown by the number of grains per panicle (-0.31218). The experimental results revealed that the selection of trait-effective panicle per square meter would be most beneficial for the improvement of yield in rice genotypes facilitating selection and plant breeding programs.

Performance and supply chain analysis of Binalebu-1 in some selected areas of Bangladesh

Razia Sultana — 2022-12-25

The study was conducted to find out the performance and supply chain of Binalebu-1 in four major Binalebu-1growing areas of Bangladesh, namely Cumilla, Mymensingh, Rangpur and Dhaka districts. Simple random sampling technique was followed for this study. The average cost of lemon production was estimated at Tk. 206127 per hectare of which about 68% was variable cost and 32% was fixed cost. Human labour cost was the lion share (32%) of total cost and it followed by irrigation cost (6.63%), Insecticide (2.64%) sapling (2.60%), and in the study areas. The average yield of Binalebu-1 was recorded 28.32 t/ha in all study areas while it was highest in 3^rd year (30.24 t/ha) followed by 2^nd year (28.17 t/ha) and 1^st year (26.58 t/ha). The average gross return, gross margin and net return of lemon were found to be Tk 744517.62/ha, Tk 454521.67/ha, and Tk 538390.75/ha, respectively. Average BCR was found to be 2.71 on the basis of total cost. Supply chain was classified into four types: Channel 1: Accounts for 40 % which was ranked as I; Channel II: Accounts for 20 % which was Ranked as II; Channel III: Accounts for 18 % which was Ranked as III, Channel IV: Accounts for 12 % which was ranked as IV; Channel V: Accounts for 10 % which was Ranked as V. It was revealed that the value addition of the Faria, Bepari, Paiker, Arathdar, Retailer were Tk.135, Tk.95, Tk.55, Tk.39 and, Tk155 per quintal, respectively.

DIGITAL AGRICULTURE; ROADWAY TO AGRITECH IN NEPAL

Ruchita Bhattarai

While every other sector; from normal food delivery system to share market, from hospitality sector to hospital services, from buying to selling, is being digitalized, agriculture might be the only sector lagging far behind. This might be the reason why we are not able to uplift the livelihood of farmers when it is reported that agriculture can reduce poverty by four times. Many agencies have also claimed that with most of the countries progressing towards urbanization, arable lands which have been supporting the food production has lessened. Many nations are struggling to support the increased demand for food. In such a scenario, the day is no far when people will pledge enmity for food. Therefore, it is utmost important that we make the most out of the limited land and other resources. The time has come where we should shift our conventional way of farming towards smart way with smart technology. Incorporating digital technology in a farming system ultimately becomes digital agriculture. Digital agriculture does not always refer to use of robotics or drones for farming. It starts with simple yet quite smart technology like calculation and implementation of proper dose of fertilizer application in the field by analyzing the situation of microclimate in soil. It might be as simple as scheduling the irrigation plan according to the level of moisture and water holding capacity of soil. Furthermore, it might also be utilizing meteorological data to predict diseases prior to their emergence and protecting the crops beforehand.

Evaluation of insecticidal efficacy against maize leaf aphid [Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch)] under inner terai condition of Nepal

Saraswati Neupane — 2022-12-25

Field experiments were carried out at the National Maize Research Program in Rampur, Chitwan, with the objective of comparing the effectiveness of insecticides in the field for controlling maize leaf aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis Fitch) during the winter season of 2019 and 2020. The design of the experiment was randomized complete block with four replications. The plot size was 6 rows of 5 m long with the spacing of 60cm × 25cm. Maize hybrid Rampur Hybrid-14 (RML-86/RML-96) was used as experimental variety. The efficacies of five insecticides viz., thiomethoxam 25% w/w 0.2g/L (T1), acetamiprid 20%WP 2g/L (T2), flonicamid 50% WG 0.5g/L (T3), neemix 3ml/L(T4), imidacloprid 0.5ml/L(T5) and untreated control (T6) were used as experimental treatments. The recommended dose of fertilizer was 180: 60: 40 N: P₂O₅: K₂O kg/ ha with farm yard manure 10 t/ha and seed rate was 20kg/ha. Data on aphid incidence, severity, yield and yield components were recorded. All the tested insecticides significantly (P≤0.05) reduced the plant infestation caused by maize aphid, and thereafter increased the grain yield of maize compared to control. However, newer insecticide flonicamid 50% WG 0.5g/L was found as the most effective insecticide with lower aphid colony per plant (2.85), aphid score (2.63), aphid infested plant (7.33%) and higher crop yield (7904.79kg/ha). The application of insecticides prior to their severe infestations is necessary for the efficient control of the maize leaf aphid. The research findings will assist maize farmers in choosing and applying the best insecticide to ensure efficient management of maize leaf aphid with high yield.

Effects of herbal plant extracts on Inducing Rooting of Stem Cuttings

maqsood Ali wagan

In the present study, an experiment was conducted where the influence of Aloe vera Gel for Inducing Rooting of Stem Cuttings. A pot experiment was performed at Sindh agriculture university tando jam, sindh, Pakistan, during the period from March 2022 to June 2022 to quantify the influence of Aloe vera gel on, root induction of cuttings of Rose (Rosa indica). Completely randomized design was used to arrange the experiment with four treatments (T1-cutting end dipped in Aloe Vera gel for five minutes, T2-cutting end dipped in Coconut Water for four minutes, T3- cutting end dipped in Honey for five minutes, T4 (control) without applying Aloe Vera gel or growth regulator to cutting) to determine the effect of Aloe vera gel on root induction of cuttings of Rose (Rosa indica) to determine the effect of Aloe vera gel on root induction of cuttings of Rose (Rosa indica). in the experiment where 8-10 inches long cuttings 5 cuttings of rose for each treatments was collected, and dipped in treatments T1-cutting end dipped in Aloe Vera gel for five minutes, T2-cutting end dipped in Coconut Water for four minutes, T3- cutting end dipped in Honey for five minutes, T4 (control) without applying Aloe Vera gel or growth regulator to cutting, were established. General media of canal slit+ FYM+ Clay Soil (1:1:1) was used as a rooting medium. All pots were kept in a shaded house to provide a cool and shaded environment. The results indicated high effect of the herbal plant extracts for Inducing Rooting of Stem cuttings such as rooting percentage, total number of roots per cutting, total number of bud formation per cutting, and root length.The Highest rooting percentage about (96%), greatest number of Roots per cutting (9),total number of buds formation per cutting ( 5 ), and The highest length of root about (6.54 cm ) observed from T1, Alternatively, the lowest rooting percentage about (52% ) lowest number of roots per cutting (5) the lowest length of root about (4.34 cm), result was observed from the (T4) Control, these treatments were followed by rooting percentage about (90%), total number of roots per cutting (8), total number of buds formation per cutting (4) and the length of root about (5.52 cm) T3, rooting percentage about (80%), total number of roots per cutting (6), total number of buds formation per cuttings (4) length of root about (5.22 cm ) T2.

Screening microsatellite markers for establishing parental polymorphism in Indian rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Sharmishta Hangloo — 2022-12-25

The experiment was conducted to investigate the parental diversity along the rice genome and to understand and screen out the SSR markers-indicated polymorphism between two indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars. Namely K343, the most well-liked rice variety in the hill zone of the Jammu Region, and RML22, a rice line created at IRRI, Philippines. The study is to select polymorphic markers (Simple Sequence Repeat- SSR) associated with hill ecologies rice cultivars and additional research projects like gene pyramiding and background selection to recover the recurrent parent genome (RPG) in blast gene introgression in elite lines. 450 SSR markers, evenly distributed throughout the rice genome, were used to assess the parental polymorphism between these genotypes. Of these two cultivars, 51 markers (11.33%) showed polymorphism with bands in different spectrums throughout the genome. The study has been used to Marker Assisted Backcross (MAB) breeding to integrate rice blast resistance genes in the parental genotype. The pool of polymorphic markers has the potential to use in similar studies and work, with a high probability of polymorphism for the cultivars of hill ecologies, and thus increase the chance of selection of probability in marker selection.

Adoption of improved wheat varieties at Kanchanpur, Nepal

Ashmita Bhatta — 2022-12-25

Usage of improved varieties raises the crop yield. To assess the adoption status of improved wheat varieties in the Kanchanpur district, this study investigated the varietal coverage of wheat along with factors affecting the adoption of improved varieties. A pre-tested interview schedule was administered to interview 90 randomly selected wheat-producing households in Bhimdutta, Bedkot and Dodhara Chandni (Mahakali) municipality. A binary logistic regression was used for triangulating the effect of different variables on the adoption of improved wheat varieties. Besides, descriptive statistics and indexing were also applied. The findings revealed that 80.97% of the area was under improved varieties, two-thirds of which were released varieties. In addition, of the released varieties, Vijay had the highest area coverage (27.97%), followed by Aditya (19.47%), Gautam (18.76%), NL971 (16.42%), BL4341 (13.65%) and others (3.73%), respectively. Further, the adoption of improved wheat varieties was found to be significantly driven by input subsidy (5% level) and access to extension services (10% level). Nevertheless, the adoption was impeded by problems namely; timely unavailability of improved variety seeds followed by lack of knowledge about improved varieties, unavailability of improved variety seeds in local markets, high cost of seeds and poor quality of seeds respectively, as identified and ranked by indexing. In light of these findings, input subsidies to the smallholding farmers, regular advisory and extension services along with participatory training programs relevant to the adoption of improved practices and timely availability of improved seeds are suggested to increase the adoption of improved wheat varieties among the farmers.

Effect of biochar and plastic mulch on growth, yield, and yield attributing characteristics of spring maize (Zea mays L.)

S. Bishwakarma — 2022-12-25

Spring maize is an important crop to meet the growing demand for maize. Moisture stress is an important yield limiting factor during the dry spring period. Biochar and plastic mulch help in soil moisture conservation and might contribute to the growth and yield of maize. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of biochar application and plastic mulch on growth, yield, and yield attributing characteristics of spring maize (Zea mays L.) in a sandy loam soil at Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal in 2018. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design (SPD) with three replications. The Main plots were allocated to the mulching (mulching, and no mulching) while the Subplot was to the biochar rates of 0 t/ha, 5 t/ha, 15 t/ha, and 25 t/ha. There were twenty-four plots of each plot size 4.8 × 1.5 m². The grounded biochar passed through a 1 mm sieve and was applied in the well-prepared plots two weeks before seed sowing. The maize seeds were sown at 60 cm row to row and 25 cm plant to plant distance. There were no significant effects due to both factors on maize seed emergence, plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaf area index, root length, dry matter content, stover yield, and yield attributes. But the yield was significantly influenced by their interactions. Significantly highest grain yield (2.58 t/ha) was obtained from 25 t/ha with plastic mulch followed by plastic mulch with 15 t/ha biochar (2.06 t/ha) and the least was recorded from control plots (1.19 t/ha). From the result, it can be concluded that the application of a higher biochar rate of 25 t/ha with plastic mulch contributes to a higher yield of spring maize.

DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF WINTER WATERBIRDS IN NATIONAL CHAMBAL SANCTUARY, MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA

Dr. Hari Singh

The National Chambal Sanctuary has been established as a prominent site for wintering waterbirds. To determine the diversity and abundance of winter waterbirds in the sanctuary three boat-based surveys were conducted during 2008 to 2010. A total of 87 species of waterbirds belonging to 18 families were documented. Of these 45 species were winter migrants and 42 species were resident. Species diversity and richness was observed to be high in habitat with luxuriant growth of emergent aquatic vegetation and low human disturbance. Suggestions for management and research are made to ensure the effective conservation of waterbirds and their habitats in the sanctuary.

A Review on Assessment of Production and Marketing of Potato in Nepal

Binod Joshi

Potato, a high-value commercial crop and staple food of hill and mountain regions of Nepal have maximum potential to supply and meet the food and nutritional demand of Nepalese people. Nepal has a favorable agro-climatic condition for the production of potatoes in all three regimes of Nepal. Primarily, secondary data were collected and assembled from peer-reviewed journal articles, annual reports, and websites for the study purpose. The study was done to analyze the production trend, export-import scenario, and marketing channel along with it most predominant problems hindering the productivity of potatoes in Nepal. Findings show the increasing trend of potato productivity, in Nepal increasing from 5.7 Mt/ha in 1968 to 17.15 Mt/ha in 2021. In addition, to this Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project along with National Potato Research Program is playing a pivotal role in increasing the production and productivity of potatoes. Findings also revealed a lack of quality seed, disease/pest prevalence, and prevalence of middle man in the marketing channels, lack of access to market information systems, and shortage of labor as the most predominant problems reported in potato production and marketing. Thus, to enhance the productivity and productivity of potato commodities, it seems pivotal to solve the major problem reported in potato production along with marketing channels with proper mechanization, marketing information, price intervention, and establishing processing industries.

Impact of changing environmental scenario on biodiversity of mangrove forest of Sundarbans Delta Region, India

Nelofar Tanveer — 2022-12-25

Sundarbans is the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forest and is a designated world
heritage site, shared by India and Bangladesh, it is home to several species including tigers. The habitat supports approximately 4.37 million people. Mangrove ecosystem is a unique, fragile, highly productive ecosystem in the sea-land interphase, is the conglomerations of plants, animals and microorganisms acclimatized in the fluctuating environment of tropical intertidal zone. This ecosystem is a highly valued ecosystem in terms of economy, environment and ecology. This mangrove ecosystem of Indian subcontinent is well known not only for the aerial extent, but also for the species diversity. The biodiversity of Sundarbans includes numerous species of phytoplankton, zooplankton, microorganisms, benthic invertebrates, molluscs, amphibians and mammals. As per the research conducted it is believed that the Sundarbans have soaked in 4.15 crore tonnes of carbon dioxide. But the scenario has been changed during past few decades. Due to climate change the Sundarbans faces several challenges. Recorded data shows that a huge number of flora and fauna were compelled to be eliminated due to the consequences of climate change during the last century. Climate change components that affect mangroves and its inhabitants include changes in sea-level, high-water events, storminess, precipitation, temperature, atmospheric CO₂ concentration and ocean circulation patterns. The study was conducted to identify the threats on the diversity and its effect on the socio-economic condition of the local community. With risk of the Sundarbans submerging, there is an urgent need for global reduction of emissions and replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy.

Review on Effects of Heat Stress on Rice

Biddhya Pandey

Rice is a global food crop and an economically important crop. Heat stress, the ultimate cause of climate change, leads to various physiological stress on rice. Heat stress significantly reduced yield by affecting the germination, tillering stage, and flowering stages. Moreover, a reduction is more serious at the flowering stage causing minimal effects in other stages. This review summarized how heat effects affect rice at different stages. If special measures to reduce heat stress are not taken, there will be a serious threat to global food security in the coming days. So, heat stress should be managed by using various genetic approaches developing thermo resistance rice varieties, and adjusting rice planting.

The Profitability Analysis of Maize Production in Jhapa district,Nepal.

Babi Koirala

Nepal is a predominantly an agricultural country and maize is an important staple crop in Nepal from socio-economic as well as nutritional perspectives.. However, its economic analysis with respect to cost of production and profitability is less explored in Nepalese context. A survey research was carried out in 2021 in Jhapa district to find out Production Cost, Total Returns and Profitability of maize production. Kankai Municipality and Jhapa Rural municipality were purposively selected for study as these areas were identified as major maize growing area. A total of 120 samples were selected using simple random sampling method from 1208 total household registered in Maize zone. Sixty samples were selected from Kankai Municipality and Jhapa Rural Municipality each. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire, focal group discussion and key informant interview whereas secondary data were obtained through a review of relevant literature. From the study the total cost of production was found to be NRs 114445per ha. Average Gross Margin was found to be NRs 55495 per ha. Similarly BC ratio was found 1.55 which shows maize production is financially viable. Productivity of study area was found 6.32 Mt/ha which is higher than that of national average. Among various problems of maize production, lack of timely unavailability of inputs prevailed mostly which was followed by disease and pest problems. Therefore, it is recommended that the government should extend its technical support and role of agricultural co-operatives should be strengthened.

A SHORT REVIEW ON GENE EDITING TOOL IN PLANT SCIENCE: CRISPR-CAS9

Prodipto Bishnu Angon

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR), a potent gene-editing tool, was found in 2012. CRISPR is a genetic engineering technique that enables genome editing in living creatures and is based on the bacterial CRISPR-Cas9 antiviral defense mechanism. It is simpler, less expensive, and more accurate than previous gene editing techniques. It also has a wide range of valuable uses, including improving crops and treating genetic diseases. This paper summarized the role of CRISPR-CAS9 tool in modern agricultural science.

Socioeconomic, livelihood and cultural profile of the Meghna River Hilsa Fishing Community in Chandpur, Bangladesh

A.B.M. Arman Hossain — 2022-12-25

The goal of the study was to build a comprehensive portrait of the socioeconomic, livelihood, and cultural profile of the Meghna River fishing community in Chandpur, Bangladesh. Shatnol Malopara, an ecologically and economically suitable fishing community under the Matlab Uttor Upazila of Chandpur district, was selected for the in-depth investigation, where 410 fishermen relied solely on fishing for their livelihood. This community is made up of 185 households, supporting close to 1000 people. They are all Hindus, and fishing was their ancestral profession. A well-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The research revealed that the majority (35%) of fishermen were in the 18-30 age range. The community preferred nuclear families (98%), and the average family size was 5-8 individuals, which is predominant at 80%. About 60% of households lived in tiny tin shades and 40% in medium tin shades, while 60% did not have their own land. They (80%) rely on solar energy for illumination and for health facilities 50% of fisher households depend on the local pharmacy to take medication. Almost 100% of the residents in this community used potable drinking water, and 50% of fishers have ring slab latrines while the other 50% have pits. According to the survey, 60% of fishermen were very poor, 20% were poor, and 20% were moderately poor. Based on the survey, the majority (70%) of the fishermen earned between the ranges of 3000-5000 BDT (Bangladesh Taka) per month. During the ban period, the majority of fishers (50%) took out loans from various sources. Non-governmental organizations that operate microcredit businesses provided 70% of the loans to fishermen. According to the survey, 32% of fishermen had a boat and gear, while 68% worked as labor or engaged in catch-sharing with Mohajons' boats and gear. A range of crafts (Dingi nouka, Kosa nouka with mechanization) and fishing gear (Kona jal, Gulti jal, Dhon jal, Chap jal, Bada jal, Current jal, Chewa jal, etc.) was observed to be used in the study area. They have a plethora of traditional ecological knowledge as a result of their fishing ancestors. The study revealed that hilsa fishermen had a variety of issues. Extortion by local extortionists was the principal concern; other issues included inadequate credit and alternative income sources during the ban period. To assist the
community in raising its standard of living, government agencies, nonprofits, and other relevant groups of organizations should adopt a number of steps. It is imperative to prioritize alternative income-generating options in this context.

Effects of Gibberellic acid (GA3) on shelf life and physiochemical properties of mango (Mangifera indica L. var Bombay green)

Sujata Yadav — 2022-12-25

The present study investigated the effect of GA3 on the physicochemical properties and shelf life of mango (Mangifera indica L. var. Bombay green) from 31st May 2022 to 8th June 2022 at the Central Laboratory of GPCAR collage Gothgaun, Morang, Nepal. The study's goal was to find the right gibberellic acid concentration to use in mangoes that were collected at a mature stage to delay fruit ripening, preserve quality, and lengthen shelf life. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and four replications. Mature freshly harvested mango fruits of uniform size were dipped into an aqueous solution of gibberellic acid at 0 ppm (T1), 100 ppm (T2), 200 ppm (T3), 300 ppm (T4) and 400 ppm (T5) for 10 minutes. Data on physicochemical parameters (mango pulp pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, physiological weight loss, and shelf life) were statistically analyzed through biochemical analyses. Further, fruits treated with 400 ppm of GA3; resulted in the lowest physiological loss in weight (22.08%), the minimum pulp pH (5.02), and the minimum titratable acidity (0.14%) on the 8th day after storage. The highest total soluble solid (19.85°B) was recorded with GA3 @400ppm, while the lowest soluble solids (16.90°B) were recorded with control ppm on the 8th day after storage. Fruits treated with GA3 at 400 ppm had the longest shelf life (7.17 days), while fruits treated with GA at 300 ppm had the shortest shelf life (7.19 days). Therefore, the best results were obtained when gibberellic acid was applied at 400 ppm, which extended the shelf life and physiochemical traits of mango fruits.

Retracted: Livelihood assets and food consumption level of slum dwellers in some selected areas of Dhaka city of Bangladesh

Mohammad Ataur Rahman — 2022-12-25

This article has been retracted due to publication ethics issue.

Efficacy of bio agents and fungicides against Colletotrichum blight of large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) under field condition in Sankhuwasabha District, Nepal

Anuja Subedi — 2022-12-25

The field experiment was carried out in five years old Golsai variety of large cardamom (Amomum subulatum Roxb.) at Khandbari-4, Pangma of Sankhuwasabha district between February and April 2022 to evaluate the efficacy of bioagents and fungicides against Colletotrichum blight of large cardamom (A. subulatum). Two bioagents, three fungicides, and control/water were taken as treatments, and the experiment was established in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with an area of 4×3 sqm in each experimental unit having 6 treatments with 4 replications. Treatment wise application of bioagents and fungicides was given by using a high-volume knapsack sprayer with the required concentration. Subsequent sprays were given at seven-day intervals. The result of the study showed that among the tested fungicides, TOPCARE (Azoxystrobin 50% WDG) and bioagent Trichoderma viride significantly reduced blight under field conditions. So, spraying of the fungicide TOPCARE (Azoxystrobin 50% WDG) and bioagent T. viride will be best for controlling Colletotrichum blight on large cardamom in the Sankhuwasabha district.

Weight-length, length-length relationships and form factor of three flatfish species from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Md. Rahamat Ullah — 2022-12-25

Biometrics such as weight-length relationships (WLRs), length-length relationships (LLRs), as well as form factor (a_3.0) were investigated for three flatfish species, Cynoglossus lingua, Cynoglossus arel, and Brachirus pan which were captured using seines and gill nets between September 2021 and March 2022 from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. The lengths were measured to adjacent 0.1 cm accuracy with a digital caliper and weights to the accuracy of 0.01 g with a digital balance for each individual. The WLRs were accurately adjusted for all species (r² > 0.9500). Brachirus pan had the lowest b value of 2.9543, whereas C. arel had the highest b value of 3.2924 amongst the three species. For the investigated species of fish, LLRs were also highly significant (r² > 0.9600, p < 0.01). The estimated form factor values were 0.0023 for B. pan, 0.0026 for C. arel, 0.0027 for C. lingua. New maximum total lengths for C. arel and B. pan have also been recorded. Since there are no weight-length relationships (WLRs), length-length relationships (LLRs), as well as form factor (a_3.0) data for these species in Bangladesh; the information supplied here expands the depth of knowledge for these species.

Molecular genotyping of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) accessions using microsatellites

E. R. Keyagha — 2023-03-25

The experiment was conducted to ascertain the level of genetic diversity in sweet potato accessions using microsatellites. Thirty sweet potato accessions obtained from the International Potato Center (CIP), Kumasi, Ghana, Mozambique, and local germplasm of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria, as well as sweet potato vines from local farmers' fields in Jos, Plateau State, and Bauchi State, Nigeria, were analyzed for genetic diversity using five microsatellite markers. The results showed that the polymorphic SSR loci revealed diverse relationship among the sweet potato cultivars, which was grouped into four major clusters by unweighted pair group method analysis (UPGMA) method. Cluster analysis showed a Jaccard co-efficient ranging from 0.0 to 3.0 indicating high genetic diversity. The primers detected a total of 18 alleles and the number of alleles per locus was 4 for IBR-19, IBR-286, IBR-297 and 3 for IBR-16 and IBR-242 with an average of 3.67 alleles per locus. The polymorphic information content (PIC) of the markers varied from 0.35 to 0.72 with an average of 0.497. Marker IBR-19 revealed the highest PIC of 0.72, while marker IBR-297 had the lowest PIC of 0.35. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.32 to 0.89 with a mean of 0.675 across the five SSR loci. The results from the Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) which was used to quantify the diversity level and genetic relationship among the thirty sweet potato accessions indicated that a high diversity was mostly distributed within the populations for sweet potato accessions (75.12%) and (15.67%) among the populations.

Quality assessment and shelf-life of processed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fish sticks: Laboratory based study

Md. Aktaruzzaman — 2022-12-25

Customers prefer tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), one of the most popular freshwater fish species farmed in Bangladesh, because of its flavor and affordable market pricing. This study aimed to develop value-added tilapia fish sticks and evaluate the quality changes, shelf life, and storage stability of the developed tilapia fish sticks in order to investigate the possibilities of better utilizing low-value tilapia fish and to satisfy consumers' growing demand for quality ready-to-eat food products. For this regard, storage characteristics in room (28ºC) and refrigerator (5ºC) temperatures were assessed in terms of microbiological, chemical, proximate, and sensory attributes. The moisture, lipid, protein, and ash contents of the fish sticks were observed to be 56.23±0.62, 7.62±0.27, 26.01±0.39, and 2.93±0.23%, respectively, at fresh condition. As storage time increased, it was discovered that ash content at room temperature increased while moisture, lipid, and protein levels steadily declined. On the other hand, it was discovered that at refrigeration temperatures, ash and fat content increased while moisture and protein content decreased. Compared to fish sticks held at ambient temperature, changes in the proximate composition of fish sticks stored in a refrigerator were found to be more stable. TVB-N was initially measured as 12.38±0.45 mg/100 g. After 24 hours of room storage, the TVB-N value exceeded the acceptable level; however, after 72 hours of refrigeration, it did not exceed the acceptable limit and was deemed fit for consumption. TPC was observed in fresh fish sticks as 3.74±0.31 Log CFU/g. In 48 hours at room temperature, the bacterial load of tilapia fish sticks increased sharply (p<0.05) during the course of the storage period and went above the microbiological threshold for fishery products (7 Log CFU/g of flesh). The bacterial growth trend was slower and, after 72 hours, was within the permitted limit at refrigerated storage temperature. All fresh products had the highest initial sensory ratings. At ambient temperature, all of the products sensory qualities significantly declined with time (p<0.05), however at refrigeration temperature, the product was determined to be more stable. The overall acceptability score assessed for appearance, flavor, taste, and texture was within acceptable limits for up to 24 hours at room temperature, but not for 72 hours at refrigeration temperature. According to the study's findings, tilapia fish sticks have a very limited shelf life at room temperature (28°C), only lasting around 24 hours, whereas they can last up to 72 hours at 5°C in the refrigerator.

Growth and production performance of Mud Eel, Monopterus cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) using different types of feed in the Northern region of Bangladesh

David Rintu Das — 2022-12-25

The experiment was conducted to assess the growth and production performance of freshwater Mud Eel (Monopterus cuchia) using different types of feed in nine earthen ponds in Bogura and Naogaon district of Bangladesh over a period of 180 days from 01 July, 2020 to 31 December, 2021. Three different treatments having three replicates each [T₁{Live fish spawn (60%), Vermi compost (40%)}, T₂{Live fish spawn (40%), Fish paste (60%)} and T₃{Vermi compost (40%), fish paste (40%), Rice bran (10%) and Wheat flour (10%)}] were used where significantly higher (P< 0.05) gross production and low FCR were recorded in T₁ treatment. Juvenile cuchia were stocked @ 400 nos/dec in each treatment having mean initial body weight of 25 g and mean initial body length of 20 cm where highest weight gain of 130.09±1.79 g was found in T₁ (p<0.05), followed by the T₂ (112.89±1.51 g) and T₃ (95.02±0.16 g). Survival rate (82.11±2.21%) and specific growth rate (1.01± 0.02 % day^-1) were also found to be highest in T₁ compared to the T₂ and T₃. Feed were applied twice a day up to satiation level using feeding tray to check feeding performance of fish. Water quality parameters like temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and alkalinity were in the optimum range for fish culture. Results from the present study clearly indicate that live fish spawn and vermi compost is suitable for the grow-out culture of M. cuchia in earthen ponds for its better growth, survival rate and production.

COLLECTION AND TREATMENT OF LEACHATE FROM SOLID WASTE DUMPS: A STUDY OF KIDWAINAGAR MUZAFFARNAGAR LEACHATE LANDFILL SITE

DHAWAL JAIN

Due to high urbanization and population growth, the municipal solid waste generation is also increasing with an alarming rate. In India, Uttar Pradesh is the largest populated state in which Muzaffarnagar is also a rapidly urbanizing and populated city. The annual population rate of Muzaffarnagar is almost double the national average. Muzaffarnagar is an agricultural and commercial hub as it is the Asia’s largest supply market of jiggery and sugar. There are many sugar and paper mills and other industries producing large amount of solid waste. The increase on population producing about 2500 tones/ day of MSW out of which only 60-65% are collected by municipal authorities and rest of the municipal solid waste remains untreated and dumped at the empty spaces to form a pile of waste in open landfill Areas. Due to percolation of rain water and squeezing of waste, the leachate generated which causes the surrounding surface water, soil structure gets polluted. In this case study we have discussed about the characteristics of solid waste and leachate generation of Kidwai Nagar Muzaffarnagar landfill leachate site in different meteorological conditions so that the future planning and the proper management of surrounding water bodies and soil structure can be carried out.

Job satisfaction of local extension agents for fisheries: Insights from farm level survey in Bangladesh

Most. Shamsia Kowsari — 2022-12-25

The present study was conducted to assess job satisfaction of local extension agents for
fisheries (from here and later in LEAFs) in Melandaha and Islampur sub-districts under Jamalpur district of Bangladesh. Data were collected by the researchers from LEAFs during September to November 2021 through face-to-face interviews by using a structured interview schedule. Descriptive statistics, rank order, and coefficient of correlation were used to analyze the data. Almost all of LEAFs (97.8 percent) had low to medium job satisfaction in extension service delivery. Among fifteen job satisfaction indicators, ‘supervisor’s guidance’ was identified as the most important one. The least ranked indicator was ‘job security’. Correlation analysis showed that age, level of education, job experience, training exposure, and organizational participation of LEAFs are significantly associated with their job satisfaction. All of the LEAFs (100 percent) faced medium to high problems in the research area. The most severe of the fourteen problems was ‘farmers’ reluctance to accept new technologies,’ followed by ‘shortage of manpower’. The least important problem of LEAFs was ‘farmers are non–cooperative’. Therefore, it is highly recommended that if an advance training program for LEAFs could be organized to solve their problems, it would be great to get quality extension services and build a well-organized fisheries sector in Bangladesh which will finally help to enhance nutritional security and poverty reduction in the country.

Rapeseed Growers’ Willingness to Pay (WTP) and Participate for Improved Pollination Service Employing Honeybees: A case from Haripurwa, Sarlahi, Nepal

Pralhad Bajgain

Management of honeybee to increase rapeseed productivity come with the burden of a new enterprise to farmers. A mutualistic practice of rapeseed growers exploiting community bee-keepers for improved pollination service is non-existent and neglected at the policy level in Nepal. So, there is a need to explore such an unexploited interaction between the two as rapeseed is recognized as a pollinator deficit crop in Nepalese context. A deal has to be broken between rapeseed growers and bee-keepers. This study aims both to elicit rapeseed growers' willingness to pay (WTP) for improved pollination service and to identify various factors that affect the WTP amount. It also aims to estimate rapeseed growers’ willingness to participate in such an interactive program and identify various factors affecting it, separately. Double-bounded dichotomous choice contingent valuation model (DBDC-CVM) and logit model were applied. Findings show that rapeseed growers are willing to pay Nrs. 4976/ha to bee-keepers in exchange for improved pollination service. The WTP was positively and significantly influenced by land holding, pollination awareness, and economic status while the experience of farming and age had a negative significant influence. Similarly, participation decision was positively and significantly influenced by age, landholding, primary occupation, economic status, and membership in farmers' groups or co-operatives. The findings show new opportunities for bee-keepers and rapeseed growers towards mutual benefits and sustainability.

Floristic divergence of weeds in rice fields under subtropical condition

Sirajam Monira — 2022-09-25

Weed infestation pattern changes over time for continuous adaptation of similar weed control methods. So, a survey was conducted at Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University from July 2019 to June 2020 to identify the most dominant and abundant weed species as well as to indicate the probable problematic weed in boro and T. aman rice. Seven fields were randomly selected for each of the boro and T. aman rice. The surveys were performed according to quantitative survey technique by using 0.25m² quadrate with 16 samples from each of the field following the zig-zag method. Sampling was done twice, while the rice plants were at the vegetative stage and at reproductive stage. Fifty one weed species under 23 families were recorded at experimental area of which 42 species (under 18 families) and 38 species (under 20 families) were observed in boro and T. aman, respectively. Poaceae topped the list with 10 species, while Cyperaceae ranked second with six species. The highest number of weed species (no. 42) was observed in boro rice compared to T. aman rice (no. 38). Besides, divergence in the weed composition was also high between both rice fields. Among the 11 abundant weed species, Eleocharis atropurpurea, Echinochloa crusgalli and Monochoria vaginalis were the most frequent and abundant weed species found in both boro rice and T. aman rice. Broadleaves had higher abundance value (246.26% in boro and 332.39% in T. aman) than grasses (188.76% in boro and 146.68% in T. aman) and sedges (164.98% in boro and 120.93% in T. aman). Moreover, the annuals were dominant over the perennials. Therefore, the present results having diversified weed species with different ranks and orders indicated that the weed management strategies should be taken regarding the infestation of dominant weed species of the respective crop.

Evaluation of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes for spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana Sacc) resistance in terai condition of Nepal

Roshan Basnet — 2022-09-25

Spot blotch caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is a major disease of wheat in warm and humid regions of Nepal. The fungus has a worldwide distribution but as a pathogen, it is the most aggressive under the conditions of high relative humidity and temperature associated with the low fertility of soils in Nepal. The yield loss due to the disease is very significant in Nepal. This experiment was conducted to identify the genotypes having a good level of resistance against spot blotch. The experiment set was received from CIMMYT comprises 52 genotypes and arranged in alpha lattice design with two replications in 2017/18 at National Wheat Research Program, Bhairahawa, Nepal, and Regional Agricultural Research Station, Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal. Each plot size was 8 rows of 2 meters long. Three times disease scoring was done in the double-digit method and calculated the Area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). Other data were analyzed by using R software (4.2.2). Heading days, days to maturity, plant height, number of grains per spike (NGPS), number of tillers per meter square (NTPM), mean AUDPC, thousand-grain weight (TGW), and grain yield were found highly significant. The genotype 8HLBSN47 was found the highest yielder (4996kg/ha) with a 304 mean AUDPC value. Seventeen genotypes (15.3%) found the lowest mean AUDPC, Penultimate leaf AUDPC, Flag leaf AUDPC, and the highest number of tillers per square meter, number of grains per spike, thousand-grain weight, and grain yield.

Assessing the influence of integrated nutrient management on growth and yield of Black gram (Vigna mungo L.)

Md. Asif Mahamud — 2022-09-25

The present study was undertaken to observe the effect of combined application of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers on growth, yield and yield contributing characters of black gram. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment comprises eight treatments viz. Control (no application of manures and fertilizer), Recommended doses of fertilizer (RDF), Cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1 + 50% of RDF, Poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1 + 50% of RDF, Vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 + 50% of RDF, Cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1 + Poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1 + 50% of RDF, Cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1 + Vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 + 50% of RDF and Poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1 + Vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 + 50% of RDF. Combined application of organic manures and inorganic fertilizers exerted significance influence on growth, yield and yield contributing characters of black gram. At growth, the tallest plant (38.74 cm), the highest number of leaves plant^-1(15.55), leaf dry weight plant^-1 (6.99 g) and stem dry weight plant^-1 (3.01 g) of black gram at 50 days after sowing (DAS) were obtained from poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1 and vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 along with 50% of RDF. While, at 50 DAS, the highest number of nodules plant^-1 (55.22) was recorded from cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1 along with 50% of RDF and the highest number of SPAD value plant^-1(42.03) was found in poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1 along with 50% of RDF. Again, at maturity, the highest number of seeds pod^-1 (5.86), yield plant^-1 (7.77 g), grain yield m^-2 (130.70 g) and total dry weight plant^-1 (17.21 g) were obtained from poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1 and vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 along with 50% of RDF. Therefore, it can be concluded that poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1 and vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 along with 50% of RDF combination might be a promising practice for black gram cultivation.

Efficacy of chemical fungicides against the fusarium rhizome rot of Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

Madan Ghimire — 2022-09-25

The present investigation was conducted to analyze efficacy of different commercially available fungicides against the Fusarium spp. causing rhizome rot of ginger adopting poison food technique. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with 8 treatment and 3 replications. The fungicides SAAF (Carbendazim 12% WP + Mancozeb WP 63%), Nativo (Tebuconazole 50% WP + Trifloxystrobin 25% WP), Caviet (Tebuconazole 25% WP), Kingsin M (Thiophanate –methyl 70%WP), Moximate (Cymoxil 8% WP + Mancozeb 64% WP), Custodia (Azoxystrobin 11% SC + Tebuconazole 18.3% SC), Melody duo (Iprovalicarp 5.5% WP + Probineb 61.5% WP) were used as a treatment for poison food technique. The results of this study indicated that there was a highly significant difference (p≤0.001) among the treatments in mycelial growth of the pathogen and inhibition of pathogen by different fungicides. The maximum mycelial growth of pathogen was observed on control plate (79.67mm) which was followed by melody duo and Moximate with the radial mycelial growth of 57.33mm and 55.83mm, respectively. Whereas the least mycelial growth of pathogen was recorded in SAAF (0.00mm) which was followed by Nativo, Custodia, Caviet and Kingsin M with the radial mycelial growth of 10.33mm, 14.83mm, 15.50, 21.83mm, respectively. Therefore, SAAF fully inhibited the growth of pathogen and found most effective which was followed by Nativo, Custodia, and Caviet with 87.04%, 81.40%, 80.55%, respectively.

Economics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production and marketing in Darchula district of Nepal

Bijay Chauhan — 2022-09-25

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a popular root vegetable that is grown all over the world. Potato production is popular in Nepal because of its greater adaptability, high yield potential, and high demand, contributing 6.57 percent to AGDP and 2.17 percent to GDP. In Nepal, it is grown on 197,037 hectares (ha) with a yield of 13.13 metric tons per hectare and a total production of 2,586,287 metric tons. The major objective of our research was to analyze the economics and marketing state of potatoes in Api-Himal rural municipality Darchula, Nepal where a survey on potato production and marketing was conducted. A total of 60 households were randomly sampled and interviewed as the primary source of information for the research. For the residents of Api-Himal RM, there are few options for sustenance and revenue generation. The area is ideal for potato farming, and potato trading has a direct impact on rural communities' livelihoods. The B/C ratio was found to be 1.62 in the research area. The average cost of potato production was Rs. 2,67,319 while the average return was Rs. 4,32,804. The research focuses on the marketing and production of potatoes from the growers to the final customers. Low yield, insect and disease infestation, and a lack of government support are among the issues. To promote the production and marketing of potatoes, availability of improved technology, an extension of technical knowledge, efficient management of marketing channels and substantial financial support by the government as well as local bodies are recommended.

Integrated nutrient management practices affect the growth performance of aromatic fine rice varieties in Boro season

Antora Adhikari — 2022-09-25

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University during November 2016 to April 2017 to investigate the effect of nutrient management on the growth performance of some aromatic rice varieties in Boro season. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications considering two factors viz. varieties and nutrient management. This experiment consisted of three varieties viz., BRRI dhan50, Basmati and BRRI dhan63, and seven nutrient managements viz., poultry manure 5 t ha^-1, recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (i.e. 250, 126, 120, 100 and 10 kg N-P-K-S-Zn, respectively ha^-1), 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1, 50% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1, vermicompost @ 10 t ha^-1, 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1 and 50% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost @ 10 t ha^-1. The results revealed that variety, nutrient management and their interaction exerted significant influence on growth characters of aromatic fine rice in Boro season. The highest plant height (55.14 cm, 66.14 cm) at 70 and 85 DAT, dry matter hill^-1 (15.39 g) at 85 DAT and chlorophyll content (39.29) at 55 DAT was recorded from BRRI dhan63. While, Basmati produced the highest leaf area index (0.60) at 60 DAT and the highest number of total tillers hill^-1 (11.52, 10.81, 9.619) was obtained from BRRI dhan50 at 55, 70, 85 DAT. In case of nutrient management practices, 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost 5 t ha^-1 produced the highest plant height (45.22cm, 55.22cm, 65.67 cm) at 55, 70, 85 DAT, leaf area index (0.70) at 60 DAT and chlorophyll content (41.56) at 55 DAT, respectively. Again, from the interaction, it was observed that all the growth parameters were significantly influenced and increased with suitable variety along with proper nutrient management. Therefore, from this study, it can be decided that BRRI dhan63 fertilized along with 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost 5 t ha^-1 might be the best possible combination for proper growth of plant.

Performance of Purple rice cultivar under different hill density

Most. Morsada Khatun — 2022-09-25

Purple rice has become a fascinating source of nutritional value among healthy cereal grains. A field experiment was conducted at Bangladesh Agricultural University during the Rabi season (February to May) of 2021 to evaluate the effect of number of seedlings/hill on growth, yield attributes and yield of Purple rice. Three seedling densities, viz. 1, 2 and 3 seedlings/hill, and three rice cultivars, viz. Purple rice, Pahari rice and a check BRRI dhan67 were experimental treatments and the experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications. Results revealed that seedling number/hill had significant effects on the growth, yield and yield attributes of rice cultivars. The tallest plant (136.31 cm) was observed from the transplanting of 1 seedling/hill followed by 2 seedlings/hill (133.35 cm) in Pahari rice. The maximum values of the number of effective tillers (13.47; Purple rice), flag leaf length and width (41.36 and 1.24 cm; Pahari rice) were recorded from the treatment 2 seedlings/hill. The longest panicle (26.58 cm; Pahari rice) was observed in 1 seedling/hill, statistically, a similar value was found with 2 seedlings/hill (24.44 cm). Among rice cultivars, BRRI dhan67 produced the heaviest grains (1000-seed weight 23.96 g) with 2 seedlings/hill and maximum grain yield (6.35 t/ha) with 1 seedling/hill. Single seedling/hill was found to be the best management practice to get a higher yield per unit area for Purple rice and other rice cultivars also.

Effect of citric acid (CA) priming and exogenous application on germination and early seedling growth of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) plants under salinity stress condition

Jotirmoy Chakrobortty — 2022-09-25

Salinity is a significant barrier to the healthy germination of seeds, the development of seedlings and ultimately the yield of crops. Salinity tolerance can be effectively induced through seed priming and exogenous application of various treatment agents. The vegetable crop okra is a healthy and well-liked one worldwide. Literature shows that salt stress negatively disturbs the growth of okra plants. In the present research, we investigated the effects of citric acid (CA) as priming and exogenous agents to alleviate the salinity-inhibited germination and early growth of okra plants. The seeds were pretreated with CA (1 mM and 2 mM) and soaked in distilled water (control) for 60 min. Germinated seeds were grown in hydroponic solution and subjected to salt stress (50 mM and 100 mM NaCl) with three independent replications and same concentrations of CA (1 mM and 2 mM) were exogenously sprayed. Our results showed that, seed priming with 1 mM CA significantly produced the highest percentage of germination (GP), germination index (GI), germination energy (GE), seed vigor index (SVI), radicle length and weight, hypocotyl length and weight, and number of lateral roots while decreased mean germination time of okra seeds while compared to the control treatment. Additionally, the findings demonstrated that salt stress dramatically reduced root and shoot length, plant height, root and shoot fresh weight and dry weight, and relative water content (RWC). Under salt stress, the addition of 1 mM and 2 mM CA significantly increased the RWC, root and shoot length, root and shoot fresh and dry weight, and plant height. These results provide information that CA priming improves germination parameters and exogenous treatments can improve the salt tolerance, and seedling characteristics of okra. Therefore, our results suggest that 1 mM CA can be utilized as a seed priming and exogenous application agent reducing the impacts of salt stress and promoting early seedling development of okra.

Growth and yield of short duration Aman rice (Oryza sativa) cultivars as influenced by age of seedlings

Nayema Aktar — 2022-09-25

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh during the period from July to December 2019 to study the effect of cultivar and seedling age on the performance of short duration transplant Aman rice. The experiment comprised four Aman rice cultivars, viz., BRRI dhan49, BRRI dhan56, BRRI dhan66 and BRRI dhan71, and four seedling ages viz. 20, 25, 30 and 35-day old seedlings. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results of the study showed that growth, yield and yield contributing characters were significantly influenced by cultivars, seedlings age and their interactions. At growth stage, BRRI dhan49 with 20-day old seedlings produced the tallest plant (57.67 cm and 67.33 cm, respectively), the highest number of total tillers hill^-1(15.00 and 13.67, respectively) and total dry matter (8.03 g m^-2and 11.50 g m^-2, respectively) at 30 and 50 DAT. At harvest, the highest number of total and effective tillers hill^-1(12.82 and 12.00), longest panicle (24.50 cm), highest number of grains panicle^-1(128.80), heaviest 1000-grain weight (23.17 g), highest grain yield (5.35 t ha^-1) and highest harvest index (51.69 %) were obtained from the cultivar BRRI dhan66. While, thirty-day old seedlings produced the highest number of total and effective tillers hill^-1(13.46 and 12.70), longest panicle (24.67 cm), highest number of grains panicle^-1(136.90), highest grain (5.62 t ha^-1) and straw yields (5.81 t ha^-1) and harvest index (51.67 %). In case of interactions, BRRI dhan66 with 30-day old seedlings produced the highest number of total and effective tillers hill^-1(14.67 and 13.97), longest panicle (26.00 cm), highest number of grains panicle^-1(146.7), highest grain yield (6.31 t ha^-1) and highest harvest index (52.72 %). So, result of the present study reveals that BRRI dhan66 with 30-days old seedlings was found to be the best for obtaining maximum grain yield.

Farmers’ knowledge and adoption of improved mandarin orchard management practices in Syangja district, Nepal

Aashish Bhandari — 2022-12-25

Mandarin is one of the major fruit crops in the mid-hills of Nepal. Since improved farming practices appear to offer a significant chance to boost production and revenue, a study was conducted in Syangja, Nepal with the objective to assess farmers’ knowledge and adoption of improved mandarin orchard management practices and identify factors affecting their adoption. Primary data were collected by the use of pretested semi-structured questionnaire from randomly selected 97 respondents within the study area. Data were entered and analyzed using MS Excel, SPSS, and STATA, and the inferences were retrieved using the binary logistic regression model. Findings revealed that the respondents were familiar with most of the improved orchard management practices, however, there was variation in the scale of adoption of these practices. The majority (>90%) were found to practice pruning, FYM application, and weed control; however, there were relatively fewer adopters when it came to the use of Bordeaux paste (75.25%), chemical fertilizers (17.52%), mulching (57.74%), irrigation (44.33%), and soil testing and amendment (39.18%). The study showed that the adoption of Bordeaux paste and soil amendment differ significantly by gender (p=0.069 and p=0.041, respectively). Training has a positive impact on the use of Bordeaux paste (p=0.026), chemical fertilizers (p=0.075), and soil amendment practices (p=0.003). The usage of chemical fertilizers is more prevalent among people with formal education (p=0.075). Knowledge level also positively influences the adoption of mulching (p=0.014) and soil amendment practices (p=0.000). The number of trees is positively and significantly associated (p=0.008) with irrigation practice. It is recommended that expanding access to irrigation facilities and encouraging the use of the recommended amount of fertilizers, mulch, and Bordeaux paste must be prioritized in the study area.

EFFECT OF FOLIAR SPRAYING WITH MICRONUTRIENTS ON FLOWERING AND FRUIT SET OF MANDARIN (Citrus reticulata Blanco) IN GORKHA, NEPAL

Sudip Tiwari

The research was carried out in Citrus Zone, Gorkha during the spring season of 2022 to find out the effect of foliar application of micronutrients in the flowering and fruit setting of mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco). The experiment was laid out in one factor randomized complete block design (RCBD) with six treatments and four replications. The treatments consist of foliar application of different combination of Zinc, Boron and Iron namely: 0.1% Zn + 0.03% B, 0.1% Zn + 0.02% Fe, 0.03% B + 0.02% Fe, 0.1% Zn + 0.03% B + 0.02% Fe, 0.15% Zn + 0.05% B + 0.04% Fe and Control (water spray). Twenty-four trees of the same age and height were chosen from the East-facing slope. The soil of the research orchard was loamy. The spray solution was made using standard procedures. Foliar application of the micronutrients was done twice, the first application was done before 25 days of the flowering, and a second application was done after 2 days of full bloom. The data was first entered in MS excel and R-Stat was used for further analysis of the parameters. The application of 0.15% Zn + 0.05% B + 0.04% Fe was most effective for enhancing flowering and fruit set as well as reducing the fruit drop in mandarin than other treatments. The results revealed that the different combinations of micronutrients significantly influenced flowering, fruit setting percentage, and fruit drop percentage.

Isolation, screening and molecular identification of antagonistic bacteria against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in mango

Md. Nazmul Hasan Mehedi — 2022-09-25

The study was conducted at the Postharvest and plant Biotechnology laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali, Bangladesh during the period from January to July 2017 to isolate, screening and molecular identification of antagonistic bacteria against anthracnose of mango. All treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design (CRD) with replications and repeated twice. Epiphytic bacteria, isolated from leaf and fruit surfaces of mango, were tested as biocontrol agent against anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides wherein 20 strains were confirmed as antagonistic. Molecular characterization of the three potential strains of bacteria were done by the amplification of 16S rDNA gene following the extraction of genomic DNA, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, gel electrophoresis and gel documentation. The PCR amplified products and the genomic DNA samples were sent to the Macrogen Company through Sunchon National University, Seoul, South Korea for molecular identification by sequence analysis. Among the 20 antagonistic bacteria screened in vitro by dual and concomitant tests, two isolates, namely GB6 (PSTU-Hort-8), and GB19 (PSTU-Hort-14) were recognized as antagonistics to the test fungus. Using the molecular identification systems, isolated bacterial strains PSTU-Hort-8 was identified as B. subtilis with National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) accession numbers MW659188; on the other hand, strain PSTU-Hort-14 was identified as Stenotrophomonas rhizophila with NCBI accession number MW659190.

Efficacy of different doses of NPK on growth and yield of rice bean (Vigna umbellata) in Khadbari, Sankhuwasabha, Nepal

Gaurab Yadav — 2022-12-25

An essential cultural technique for ensuring correct development and maximizing output is administering fertilizer sources for the crops. The experiment was carried out from February 2022 to May 2022 at Khadbari-3, Maruwa, Sankhuwasabha, to determine the efficacy of various dosages of NPK on the growth performance of the rice bean variety (Sunehri). The trial used a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven treatments replicated three times. The treatments were listed and named as T1 (0:0:0 kg NPK/ha); T2 (20:30:10 kg NPK/ha) (Recommended dose); T3 (10:20:15 kg NPK/ha); T4 (40:80:40 kg NPK/ha); T5 (20:20:20 kg NPK/ha); T6 (80:100:60 kg NPK/ha); and T7 (20:0:30 kg NPK/ha), respectively. The experimental results revealed that the highest yield/plant (39g) was obtained from the plot treated with T4 (40:80:40 kg NPK/ha), followed by 24.93 g and 24.13 g from the plot receiving T2 (20:30:10 kg NPK/ha) and T6 (80:100:60 kg NPK/ha), respectively. The lowest yield of 14.07 g was obtained from the control plot, followed by 15.27 g and 21.20 g from the plot receiving T7 (20:0:30 kg NPK/ha) and T3 (10:20:15 kg NPK/ha), respectively. Vegetative parameters such as plant height, branch numbers, and leaves numbers were recorded as a maximum of 19.72 cm, 6.88, and 18.97 in plots treated with T5 (20:20:20 kg NPK/ha), T7 (20:0:30 kg NPK/ha), and T1 (0:0:0 kg NPK/ha), consecutively, and corresponding minimum values were found 18.12 cm, 5.36 and 15.63 in T3 (10:20:15 kg NPK/ha), T1 (0:0:0 kg NPK/ha), and T7 (20:0:30 kg NPK/ha), respectively. Conclusively, the study's findings suggest that the rice bean crop responds to fertilizers and applying T4 (40:80:40 kg NPK/ha) enhances crop production considerably.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF APPLE PRODUCTION AND MARKETING IN MUSTANG DISTRICT OF NEPAL

Biraj Sharma

A survey on economic analysis of apple production and marketing was carried out in the Mustang district of Nepal in 2021. Simple random sampling was used to select 100 households, and snowball sampling was used to select 10 traders for the market study. Respondents were interviewed using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire in order to collect data. Analysis of the data was done using SPSS and Excel. On an average, surveyed households had 10.86 ropani (0.55 hectares) of land under apple production, with an average of 152.96 fruit-bearing and 59.06 non-bearing trees. Economic analysis for a period of 20 years revealed that the benefit cost ratio, net present value, internal rate of return and payback period were 1.98, NRs. 2,774,237, 22.59% and 9 years, 10 months and 10 days respectively. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the business could withstand a 10% cost increase and a one-year production delay. The majority of the farmers (94%) reported selling their produce to contractors through hedging practice where the marketing margin and producer share were Rs. 100 and 44.44%, respectively. The primary problems for apple production were discovered to be the prevalence of insect pests and disease. Similarly, a significant issue with marketing was price variance. According to the study's findings, apple production in Mustang is financially feasible but requires further research into alternative pest and disease management techniques as well as involvement in the creation of marketing systems to reduce price variation.

Farming in the mountains of Nepal: crops, soil fertility, livelihoods and farm-forest linkages

Prakriti Gauli — 2022-09-25

In national plans, policies, and earlier development programs, livelihoods of mountain people in the Nepal Himalayas were overlooked, rendering them more susceptible to climatic risk and disaster. The management of marginal mountain agricultural land is crucial for food security, improved living conditions, and environmental protection. For enhancing livelihoods and ecological benefits, mountain agriculture is vital, however, a consolidated review on mountain farming is limited in Nepal. We used "mountain" AND "Nepal" AND "farming" OR "agriculture" in the literature's title published between 1978 and 2021 on Google Scholar and did an in-depth review of papers on the four thematic areas: mountain crops, soil fertility, livelihoods, and farm-forestry linkages. We observed a variety of nutrient-rich mountain crops with a market potential as niche products, low and deteriorating soil fertility of agricultural lands, a weakening of the farm-forest links, and an increase in the diversity of mountain livelihood choices. Small landholdings, labor outmigration mainly men, feminization of mountain farming, and food insecurity are the greatest challenges to the growth of agriculture in mountainous regions. There are, however, ample opportunities to make mountain regions green through agroforestry and community forests, to improve livelihoods by introducing niche value chains for products, to explore payment for ecosystem services through downstream-upstream linkages, and to recognize their traditional knowledge and practices through citizen science research and development.

Effect of Storage Structures and Modified Atmosphere Packaging on the Post-harvest Quality of Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) in Dhankuta, Nepal

Sagar Bhusal

An experiment was conducted during January 2021 to March 2021 at horticulture lab of National Citrus Research Program, Paripatle, Dhankuta, Nepal to evaluate the effect of storage structures and modified atmosphere packaging on maintaining the shelf life and quality of mandarin orange. Laboratory experiment was conducted under two factor RCBD with 15 treatments replicated thrice namely room storage, cellar storage and CoolBot storage as first factor and packaging materials- control, 2 holes plastic packaging, 4 holes plastic packaging, 6 holes plastic packaging and 8 holes plastic packaging as second factor. Mandarin at room storage was kept at temperature 15.98± 0.89 ⁰C and RH of 71.15± 5.80%, the temperature and RH of cellar storage & CoolBot storage was 14.72 ± 1.20 ⁰C ,94.28 ± 5.71 % & 8.12 ± 0.44 ⁰C and 79.43 ± 4.54% respectively. At 49^th day lowest physiological loss in weight was observed in case of 8 holes plastic packaging in CoolBot (9.00 %) compared to control in room storage (23.66 %). Greater TSS was observed in case of room storage and also in control. TA of the fruit was observed lowest in case of room storage. Highest TSS/TA at 45 DOS was observed in case of control under room storage. Results for vitamin-c and shelf life was found superior in case of CoolBot storage with 8 holes plastic packaging. In a nutshell, CoolBot storage with 8 holes plastic packaging showed superior result for most of the parameters, prolonging the shelf life of mandarin orange.

Participatory on-farm evaluation and demonstration of improved potato varieties (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Bonke and Derashe Special districts of SNNPR, Ethiopia

Solomon Yokamo

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is the most important food security crop in Ethiopia and it is regularly consumed by millions of people. Despite its sundry importance, potato production and productivity are affected by a couple of biotic and abiotic factors, particularly in the study areas. Thus, participatory on-farm evaluation and demonstration of improved potato varieties were conducted in Derashe Special and Bonke districts in Southern Ethiopia. A single plot design (side-to-side comparison) was adopted and each variety (Horo and Gudane) was planted on the 10m*20m land area. A capacity-building training was delivered to selected farmers, extension agents, and other subject matter specialists (SMSs) on potato agronomic practices. A matrix ranking approach was adopted during technology evaluation and varietal preferences by farmers. At plant physiological maturity, a field day was organized and technology was promoted by using different media outlets. The yield performance result revealed that the Horo variety could significantly (p<0.05) perform over the Gudane variety (49.9±6.8 t ha-1 and 33.5±15.2 t ha-1, respectively); that is a 49.23% higher yield advantage over Gudane. The Horo variety had a higher net return (242,026 ETB) than Gudane (107,619 ETB) variety. Moreover, the farmer's evaluation and preference result showed that improved potato variety (Horo) was ranked as the first choice over Gudane. Therefore, based on the present findings, the Horo variety was recommended for further scaling out and production in the study areas and other similar agroecology.

Analysis of profitability and effect of factors of production in paddy cultivation in Morang, Nepal

Bibhusha Basnet — 2022-09-25

Paddy is one of the principal food crops in Nepal. Most of the Nepalese farmers are currently utilizing inputs in an unscientific manner due to lack of information about the most efficient use of resources, resulting in low yield and efficiency. This study was conducted for the analysis of profitability and effect of factors of production in paddy cultivation in Morang district of Nepal. A sample of 120 paddy growers were selected from 4350 paddy farmers registered in PMAMP, Rice zone, Morang using Simple Random Sampling Technique. Primary and secondary data were collected using face-to-face interview schedule and reviewing different articles and journals. Data collected were entered, tabulated and analyzed using MS-Excel and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as mean, frequency, and percentage were used to study farmer's socio-economic characteristics while inferential statistics was used in analysing the influence of production factors using Cobb-Douglas production function. The total cost of paddy production, gross income, and net income per hectare was found to be Rs.70,082.65, Rs.1,11,171.23 and Rs.41,088.57 respectively whereas productivity of paddy was found to be 4.32 MT/ha. The BC ratio 1.66 indicates that it is a profitable enterprise. The labor cost contributed most to the variable cost with 45.48%. Moreover, independent variables such as seed, labor and mechanical power contributed significantly to the yield. Therefore, paddy farming should be encouraged among farmers by increasing the availability and affordability of inputs while also improving food security.

Shifting from paddy production for aquaculture: An economic study in a selected area of Bangladesh

Mohammad Ataur Rahman — 2022-09-25

Shifting rice cultivation to aquaculture is a burning issue of agricultural land use policy in Bangladesh. The study was conducted to identify the reasons for change the paddy farming to fish culture and relative profitability of both enterprises randomly selected 50 sample farmers from Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through field survey. Mostly tabular analysis was done to achieve the objectives. To determine the net return of fish and rice production, profitability analysis was applied. The findings revealed that 70% of the respondents belonged to the age group of 30-64 years and average annual income and expenditure were Tk. 2333234 (US$ 24874.56) and Tk. 2025860 (US$ 21597.65), respectively. About 96 % of the respondents said that the profit motive was one of the main reasons to shift rice farming to aquaculture. Per hectare per/season gross margin and net return were Tk. 545994 (US$ 5820.83) and Tk. 487494 (US$ 5197.16), respectively for fish culture and Tk. 16404.00 (US$ 174.88) and Tk. 7064.00 (US$ 75.31), respectively, for rice cultivation. The BCR of fish culture and rice cultivation was 1.86 and 1.07, respectively (Full cost basis). Lower profit and scarcity of labour in harvesting period were the main problems faced by the rice farmers. Diseases and high feed cost were the main problems faced by the fish farmers. The fair price of paddy and the supply of paddy harvesting machineries need to be ensured by the government and other agencies to make profitable agribusiness by the rice farmers.

Shifting from paddy production for aquaculture: An economic study in a selected area of Bangladesh

Mohammad Ataur Rahman

Shifting rice cultivation to aquaculture is a burning issue of agricultural land use policy in Bangladesh. The study was conducted to identify the reasons for transforming from paddy farming to fish culture and relative profitability of fish and rice cultivation randomly selected 50 sample farmers from Bhaluka upazila of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through field survey. To determine the net return of fish and rice production, profitability analysis was applied. The findings revealed that 70% of the respondents belonged to the age group of 30-64 years, 46% of the respondents’ primary occupation was fish farming and 24% respondents’ primary occupation was agriculture. Average annual income and expenditure were Tk. 2333234 (US$ 24874.56) and Tk. 2025860 (US$ 21597.65), respectively. Average fish plot size and rice plot size were 280 decimals and 68.84 decimal respectively. About 90% of the respondents said that the main reason for shifting rice cultivation to fish culture was more profit in fish culture than rice cultivation. Per hectare per/six months gross margin and net return were Tk. 545994 (US$ 5820.83) and Tk. 487494 (US$ 5197.16), respectively for fish culture and per hectare per/season (six months) gross margin and net return were Tk. 16404.00 (US$ 174.88) and Tk. 7064.00 (US$ 75.31), respectively, for rice cultivation. The BCR of fish culture and rice cultivation was 1.86 and 1.07, respectively (Full cost basis). Lower profit and scarcity of labour in harvesting period were the main problems faced by the rice farmers. Diseases and high feed cost were the main problems faced by the fish farmers. The fair price of paddy and the supply of paddy harvesting machineries need to be ensured by the government and other agencies to make profitable agribusiness by the rice farmers.

A review on soilless cultivation: The hope of urban agriculture

Dipesh Joshi — 2022-09-25

The cultivation of plants without using soil as a rooting medium is known as soilless farming. Depending on the requirement and type of crop, there are several soilless systems, including hydroponic, aeroponic, vertical farming, and others. The rate at which megacities are growing is worrying. As a result, urban agriculture needs to undergo a revolution in order to address the problem of food scarcity and hunger. These significant quantitative and qualitative food concerns can be solved by soilless farming in urban environments. In greenhouses and tunnels, about 3.5% of the world's crops are produced utilizing soilless, hydroponic farming methods. People who reside in deserts, the arctic, and other difficult-to-farm places can build up hydroponic farms. Since there is no soil, there are fewer insects and weeds. Vegetables, fruits, flowers, and medicinal plants are among the crops grown in soilless or hydroponic systems. Growth media is used in soilless culture methods in place of soil. As growth media, inorganic or organic substrates (barks, coconut coir, coconut soil, fleece, marc, peat) are used. Aquaponics in Nepal has a promising future because it is still in its early phases and is expected to thrive and expand well. As a result, a variety of crops are produced year, increasing income. Soilless cultures are thought of as a recently found approach to agricultural development, yet they are extremely difficult to put into practice.

Socio-economic analysis of coffee growers in Gulmi district of Nepal

Sagar Bhandari — 2022-09-25

Coffee is a major plantation cash crop of hills of Nepal. Gulmi is one of the popular districts for coffee production and export in Nepal. This research is an attempt to assess the production potentiality and profitability of coffee in Gulmi district. This study was carried out in four rural municipalities of Gulmi district namely Ruru rural municipality, Dhurkot rural municipality, Satyawoti rural municipality and Musikot municipality. A total of 100 samples (25 from each rural municipality) were selected using simple random sampling technique. Face to face (FtF) interview method was used to collect primary data using pretested semi-structured questionnaire. The economic indicators of coffee production like gross revenue, gross margin, benefit-cost ratio (BCR) and profitability index (PI) were calculated. BCR and PI were found to be 2.84± 0.59 and 2.50± 1.25, respectively. Gross margin per ropani was calculated to be NRs. 15675.29 ± 7189.72. The contribution of coffee in total household income was 12% in Gulmi showing it to be one of the major influencing commodities. The major production problem was found to be insect attack in the district while the major marketing problem was the low market price. The insights of this research were that coffee has the potentiality to uplift the rural income of Gulmi but at the same time there were poor extension services for coffee growers such that farmers had shown dissatisfaction towards coffee enterprise. Therefore, effective package of production and value chain monitoring should be introduced by the Nepal government in order to address the production and marketing constraints of coffee producers.

Assessment of soil quality at selected sites around Karwi town, Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), India

Mukesh Ruhela — 2022-09-25

Every living organism on this planet prioritises food. Sustainable crop production is the need of the present hour to fulfil the basic needs of the large population of the country. The production of any crop, along with many other factors, largely depends on the soil quality of the area. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to ascertain the quality of the soil in the study area. To fulfil the aim of the present study, four sites {Karwi Mafi (SS-1), Karwi (SS-2), Amanpur (SS-3), and Narainpur (SS-4)} were selected around Karwi town, Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh), India. The soil samples were collected from the selected sites following the Grab sampling method for 12 months (January 2021 to December 2021). A total of 80 soil samples were collected and analysed for various physical parameters, primary and secondary nutrients, micronutrients, and heavy metals. The results obtained showed that soil moisture ranged from 44.56% to 48.12%. Among all the four sites, the soil quality of SS-03 (pH=6.79±0.03) was observed to be slightly acidic in nature. Phosphorous ranged from 48.10 to 56.53 mg/kg. Similarly, all other studied primary and secondary nutrients were observed in sufficient quantity at all the study sites. The concentration of all the studied micronutrients (Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Fe) ranged from 0.95-1.31 mg/kg, 4.39-5.23 mg/kg, 2.47-3.62 mg/kg, 14.29-21.42 mg/kg, and 4.83-6.01 mg/kg, respectively. Chromium ranged from 0.96 to 1.58 mg/kg. On the basis of the present study, it can be concluded that the quality of soil in the study area is in good condition. The findings of the present study are important as they reveal the soil quality of pure residential and agricultural areas without any anthropogenic or natural dumping of solid or liquid waste.

Importance, Biology, Epidemiology, and Management of Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm) of Enset [Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Cheesman] in Ethiopia: A Review

Malkamu Fufa

Enset [Ensete ventricosum (Welw) Cheesman] is an economically, nutritionally, and industrially important root crop in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is believed to be the center of origin and diversity of the cultivated enset crop. The crop has been cultivated in the country since time immemorial. The midlands and highlands of Ethiopia are suitable for enset cultivation, particularly southern and southwestern Ethiopia. However, many biotic and abiotic factors are negatively affecting and reducing the production and productivity of the crop in Ethiopia and elsewhere. Of the various bacterial plant diseases limiting enset productivity, bacterial wilt caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm) is one of the major cosmopolitan and destructive pathogens in all enset- and banana-growing areas. Characteristics or distinguishing symptoms of the disease are yellowing and chlorosis of leaves, wilting, and yellowish secretion of bacterial ooze or exudate from the plant tissue, and dried and dead leftovers of enset plants. This piece of work was undertaken to: 1) review the economic importance and ecological requirements of enset and the extent of total yield loss due to Xcm; 2) review the biology and ecological requirements of the pathogen leading to epidemics; and 3) compile the management options for sustainable enset production and productivity. This review highlights various studies on the importance of the disease and the efforts employed so far in the management of this highly destructive disease to enset production. To achieve these objectives, data and information were gleaned from scientific journal publications, PhD dissertations, Master’s thesis, research reports, books and book chapters, proceedings and symposium papers, relevant compendia, internet resources, personal communications, and similar other resources. From the review insight, it is confirmed that there is no single best enset wilt management option available that farmers rely on and there is a lack of resistant varieties and absence of any work on crop gene improvement so far. Cultural and sanitary measures are the only methods most frequently used across the enset-growing areas and are found to be fruitful in community mobilization to create awareness among the farming community to manage the vascular disease by already known and cheap sanitary measures. Management methods, such as host resistance, botanicals, biological control, and biotechnology approaches also show promising management options against the disease. In conclusion, management of the disease relies on the integration of sanitary and cultural practices along with resistance for sustainable reduction of enset damage due to the disease on farmers’ fields and increased production and productivity of the crop in Ethiopia and elsewhere. In the future, the government has to consider the development of sustainable management strategies as a policy, and awareness creation through mass media and development agents are vital, while regular field monitoring and development of resistant/tolerant varieties are mandatory.

Keywords: Bacterial vascular wilt, Corm, Incidence, Prevalence, Pseudostem, Severity, Sucker, Variety, Yield loss.

A comparative study of the effect of peeling and drying on phytochemical and proximate composition of ginger varieties in Nepal

Mamata K.C. — 2022-09-25

The handling and processing of ginger are done by farmers in Nepal by following primitive practices that result in poor and unhygienically processed ginger of low quality. Due to little information on the quality and compositional aspects of ginger and its value-added product (essential oil), there is a need to improve traditional methods of processing and drying for a better quality of ginger and its product. This study aimed to assess the effects of peeling and drying conditions on two local ginger varieties in Nepal. A three-factor Completely Randomized Design (CRD) experiment was laid out at Ginger Research Program, Kapurkot, Salyan, Nepal. Three treatment factors were variety (Bose ginger and Nase ginger varieties), peeling (peeled and unpeeled ginger), and drying methods (direct sun drying and oven drying). After drying ginger rhizomes, the dry recovery percentage was calculated and the dried ginger
rhizomes were ground to powder and subjected to laboratory analysis, where essential oil content and proximate composition of ginger powder were evaluated. Then, the extracted essential oil was subjected to GC-MS (Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry) analysis to know the chemical composition of essential oil. The result obtained showed that unpeeled oven-dried gingers retained higher essential oil content (2 %). The moisture content of oven-dried peeled ginger was reduced to 10.49 % which is within the standard of 7-12 % acceptable to the international market unlike that of direct-sun drying which could only attain about 17% moisture content in the study area. Likewise higher dry recovery percentage (22.25%) was observed in unpeeled sun-dried gingers. Ether extract (5.05 %) and crude fiber (5.05 %) were higher in the Nase variety whereas nitrogen-free extract (75.51 %) was more efficient in Bose variety. From the GC-MS analysis of ginger oil, α-Zingiberene (16.61-21 %) was found to be a major chemical constituent of ginger essential oil followed by (E, E)-α-farnesene (8.68-10.99 %) and β-Sesquiphellandrene (8.26-10.23 %). The use of an oven to dry unpeeled ginger will improve the retention of essential oil; However, peeling of ginger showed reduced fiber content in the ginger.

Assessment of groundwater quality in a part of Tons river basin with the help of factor analysis

Shikha Pant

In this study, Factor analysis technique was applied on physico-chemical parameters of groundwater of shallow aquifer, collected from sixteen sampling sites for the year 2012and 2019. The factor analysis techniques are applied to ground water quality data sets obtained from the part of Tons river basin. The data obtained were standardized and subjected to factor extraction in simplifying its interpretation and to define the parameters responsible for the main variability in water quality. The objective is to evaluate the mutual correlations among the various water quality parameters to reveal the primary factors that affect reservoir water quality and the differences among the various water quality parameters. The factor analysis resulted in four and three factors explaining more than 86% and 80% of the total variation in ground water quality data set for 2012 and 2019 respectively. Multivariate statistical techniques are potential tools and provide greater precision for identifying contaminant parameters linkages with groundwater chemistry in the area.

Effect of foliar spray of ethephon doses and pruning intensities on growth, sex expression, and yield of cucumber (var- Bhaktapur local) in Kaski, Nepal

Binaya Baral — 2022-09-25

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of foliar spray of ethephon doses and pruning intensities on the performance of Bhaktapur local cultivar of cucumber in Kaski, Nepal from Feb- May 2021. The study was laid out in Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) with 2G and 3G cutting, and four different doses of ethephon (@125ppm, @250ppm, @375ppm @500ppm) as six treatments against control and were replicated four times with 28 plots each of 20.8 m² size having 4 rows with 4 plants per row. The data regarding plant height, leaf number, largest leaf area, days to 1^st male and female flowering and fruit harvest, the total number of male and female flowers per plant, M: F flower ratio, fruit length, circumference, weight/fruit, fruit number per plant, fruit set % and yield were recorded and analyzed using MS-Excel and R-studio. The result revealed that growth and yield were significantly influenced by the levels of ethephon and pruning. Highest yield was recorded with ethephon @125ppm (83.54 t ha^-1) which is as par with 3G (72.57 t ha^-1) which was accompanied by a significantly higher number of fruits per plant {(125ppm=18.33), (3G=15.67)}, average fruit weight {(3G=674gm)}, (125ppm=608gm)}, and fruit set % {(3G=30.66 %)}, (125ppm=24.93 %)}. Significantly higher plant height (149.78 cm), and the highest number of leaves per plant (40) were recorded in control and Ethephon @125ppm at 50 DAT, respectively. The largest leaf area (626.84 cm²) was recorded in 2G which is at par with 3G (613.31 cm²) at 50 DAT. Higher dose of ethephon @500ppm (47.87 days) and 375 ppm (47.17 days) delayed days to 1^st male flowering while all ethephon doses (T4=31.83 days, T5=32.5 days, T6=34.81 days, and T7=34.83 days) hastened female flowering than control and pruning. A significantly higher number of male flowers were obtained in the control (89.75), while the number of female flowers and M: F flower ratio increased with increasing ethephon level than in pruning (2G and 3G) and control. Hence, appropriate ethephon (125ppm) dose and pruning (3G) were highly conducive for better growth, sex expression, and yield of cucumber using Bhaktapur Local variety of cucumber in the hilly region of Nepal has a climatic condition similar to Kaski.

Effect of unseasonal rainfall on rice production in Nepal during the year 2021: A case study

Santoshi Malla — 2022-06-25

Our study explicit the information regarding the status losses and the compensation amount We browsed the website of Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development (MoALD) and visited Agriculture Knowledge Centre to obtain the information. Rice is a major cereal crop, contributing around 25% of GDP and majority of working population are engaged in rice production for at least half year. Increasing population and pernicious natural hazards had
declined the rice production leading to increment in import of rice from neighboring countries. Nepal received 15% more rain than average monsoon in year 2021. Flooding in various areas of Nepal occurred, causing huge loss of rice production along with destruction of lives and property indirectly leading to food insecurity. The onset of heavy unseasonal monsoon, occurred at the period when rice crops were ready to harvest or ready to thresh, undermined the labor, time and money invested by the farmers. The total rice production has been reduced to 5.13 million tons in 2021 from 5.55 million tons in 2020 at the rate of 8.74%. Lumbini Province faced the highest loss, followed by Sudarpaschim Province of Nepal. Climate change was the major factor responsible for this, hampering the agricultural productivity. Government of Nepal had decided to provide compensation to them based on three categories: small farmers having holdings of up to 10 katthas received compensation of 65% of their cost of production , medium farmers having land holdings from 11 to 40 katthas received 30% of their cost of production ,the large farmers having land holdings more than 40 katthas received compensation 20% of their cost of production. Also, the partially affected farmers received compensation 20% of their cost of production.

Precision nitrogen management on crop production: A review

Dipika Bhusal — 2022-06-25

Nitrogen (N) is the most essential nutrient for plants because of its value as a growth and yield determinant nutrient. Significant, and rapid increase in N application rates have occurred, but often at the expense of poor usage performance. The study enlights the causes of nitrogen loss in the environment, the need for its management and ways for precision management. Researches reveal only 50% of the applied fertilizer is uptake by the plants and the remaining is lost in the form of different pathways like denitrification, leaching, and volatilization that is very harmful for the biodiversity. Nitrogen management necessitates extra caution in its application in order to avoid major losses and optimize performance. Precision nitrogen management has been found especially useful to achieve the goals of improved productivity and higher nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Leaf color charts, sensor based green seeker and chlorophyll meter like decisions tools in precision nitrogen management help in assisting the prediction of the need for N in the crops leading to higher nitrogen use efficiency without any reduction of yield. On the other hand, the use of urea briquettes deep placement supplements the nitrogen management techniques for higher NUE and crop productivity as well as sustain agriculture by avoiding the leakage of nitrogen to the environment thereby reducing the pollution. Hence, the synchronization between crop demand and nitrogen supply using the tools helps to minimize nitrogen losses, maximize nitrogen use efficiency and increase productivity.

Weed suppressive ability of BRRI released popular monsoon rice varieties

Mahmuda Akter Mou — 2022-06-25

Develoment of weed competitive crop cultivars is an attractive low-cost strategy of integrated weed management program that can reduce the heavy dependence of crop cultivation to chemical herbicides. Hence, to evaluate the weed competitiveness Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) released selected monsoon rice varieties, a field experiment was conducted during July to December 2018 at the Agronomy Field Laboratory of Bangladesh Agricultural University. Thirty-three rice varieties were grown under season long weedy and weed-free conditions. Plots without rice plants were also maintained to investigate the natural growth of weed in absence of rice. The experiment was conducted following randomized complete block design with three replicates. The results showed that rice varieties varied widely in yielding ability and weed competitiveness. Among rice varieties, BRRI dhan31 allowed the minimum weed growth (32.5 g m^-2) while BRRI dhan51 allowed the maximum weed growth (155.3 g m^-2). Grain yield ranged between 3.6 t ha^-1 (BRRI dhan49) and 7.5 t ha^-1 (BR10) under weed-free condition and between 2.2 t ha^-1 (BRRI dhan70) and 3.9 t ha^-1 (BRRI dhan34) under weedy condition. Weed imposed relative yield loss ranged from 10.2 to 66.9% among the rice varieties. BRRI dhan34 allowed the least yield penalty (10.2%) while BRRI dhan70 had the maximum yield penalty (66.9%) due to competition with weeds. Although BR10 appear as the most productive variety (7.5 t ha^-1) its weed imposed relative yield loss was higher (51.3%) than many other varieties with low yield potential. On the other hand, BRRI dhan34 appeared as the most weed competitive variety (only 10.2% relative yield loss) with productivity of 3.9 t ha^-1. Considering the yield, BR10 was the best but for weed suppressive ability BRRI dhan34 performed well.

Effect of fertilizers and mulching on growth and yield of sweet pepper (Capsicum annum L.)

Nusrat Jahan — 2022-06-25

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of fertilizers and mulching on growth and yield of sweet pepper at the Horticulture Farm, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from October, 2018 to March, 2019. Two factors experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The experiment consisted four (4) levels of organic and inorganic fertilizers viz., F₁ (Vermicompost), F₂(Recommended dose of NPKS), F₃ (50% Vermicompost + 50% Recommended dose of NPKS) and F₄ (75% Vermicompost + 25% Recommended dose of NPKS); and three mulch materials viz., M₀(Control), M₁ (White polythene) and M₂ (Black polythene). Plot size was 1 m x 1 m. The growth and physio-morphological characters, yield attributes and yield were significantly influenced by different types of fertilizers application and mulching practices. F₄ treatment (75% Vermicompost + 25% Recommended dose of NPKS) produced maximum yield per hectare (40 t/ha) and F₁(vermicompost) treatment produced minimum yield per hectare (23.07 t/ha). Fruit yield increased 12.49%, 20.01% and 28.44% higher using F₄, F₃ and F₂, respectively compared to control treatment_. Mulching material influenced fruit yield where the maximum yield per hectare (40 t/ha) were observed from the M₂(Black polythene). Fruit yield (t/ha) recorded 27.06% and 27.50% higher in M₂and M₁, respectively compared to control. In case of combined treatment, the fresh weight of fruit and dry matter were found higher in M₂F₄ and the lowest in M₀F₁. The maximum yield per hectare (53.31 t/ha) was found in M₂F₄ and M₂F₄ treatment produce 201.75% higher yield (t/ha) compared to control treatment combination M₀F₁(17.67 t/ha). The second and third highest was found from M₂F₃ and M₁F₄. The highest benefit cost ratio (BCR) was found in M₂ F₄and it was 7.49. Black plastic mulch with combined fertilizer (vermicompost and chemical fertilizer) gives higher plant height, yield, dry matter and other yield contributing parameters. Control treatment (no mulch) with only vermicompost gives lowest result in all cases.

Stock assessment and virtual population analysis of River shad, Tenualosa ilisha (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) in the Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq

Abdul-Razak M. Mohamed — 2022-06-25

Historically, the river shad, Tenualosa ilisha fishery is the most significant marine fishery from the economic-socio point of view in Basrah province for a long time, but its contribution declined from 90.2% of total landings in 1965-1973 to 5.8% in 2020. The stock and virtual population analysis of the species in the Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq was assessed using FiSAT II software. Samples were collected from two sites in the river from November 2015 to October 2016. A total of 462 individuals of T. ilisha ranging from 7.0 to 42.5 cm were collected. The length-weight relationship was derived, indicating a positive allometric growth for the species. L∞, K, and Ø were 59.1 cm, 0.27, and 2.975, respectively. Total (Z), natural (M) and fishing (F) mortalities were 1.94, 0.59, and 1.35, respectively. The exploitation rate (E) was 0.70. Length at first capture (L_c50) was found to be 24.4 cm. The recruitment pattern of T. ilisha was continuous throughout the year with two unequal prominent peaks. The relative yield per recruit analysis revealed that the current exploitation rate (E) of T. ilisha was higher than both E_0.1 and E_max. Also, the 40 cm length group was more vulnerable to fishing according to VPA analysis, followed by the 34 cm and 26 cm length groups. For management purposes, it must be introduced an extensive T. ilisha management action plan by protecting brood species during the breeding season by imposing a ban on fishing in the Shatt Al-Arab River during the main spawning migration and conserving the small T. ilisha (Milat <23.0 cm) from catching.

Assessing the influence of integrated nutrient management on growth performance of aromatic fine rice

Nowshin Laila — 2022-06-25

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during July 2017 to December 2017 to study the combined effect of vermicompost with inorganic fertilizers on the growth attributes of aromatic fine rice varieties. The experiment comprised three varieties viz. BRRI dhan34, Binadhan-13 and Kalizira, and five nutrient managements viz. Control (no application of manures and fertilizer), Recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers ( i.e. 150, 95, 70, 60, 12 kg ha^-1 of Urea, TSP, MOP, Gypsum and Zinc Sulphate, respectively), vermicompost @ 3 t ha^-1, 25% less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + vermicompost @ 1.5 t ha^-1, 50 % less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + vermicompost @ 3 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Growth characters of aromatic fine rice were significantly influenced by variety, nutrient management and interaction of variety and nutrient management. In case of variety, the highest number of total tillers hill^-1 leaf area index, total dry matter production and chlrophyll content were obtained from Binadhan-13 at all sampling dates. While, Kalizira produced the lowest number of total tillers hill^-1, total dry matter, leaf area index and chlorophyll content except plant height at all sampling dates. In case of nutrient management, the tallest plant, the highest number of total tillers hill^-1, total dry matter production, leaf area index and chlrophyll content were obtained from 50 % less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + vermicompost @ 3 t ha^-1 at all sampling dates. But the shortest plant, the lowest number of total tillers hill^-1, leaf area index, total dry matter production, crop growth rate and chlorophyll content were found in control (no manures and fertilizers) at all sampling dates. In case of interaction of variety and nutrient management, the highest number of total tillers hill^-1, leaf area index, total dry matter production and chlorophyll content were found in Binadhan-13 along with 50 % less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + vermicompost @ 3 t ha^-1 at all sampling dates. So, it can be concluded that Binadhan-13 along with 50% less than the recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + vermicompost @ 3 t ha^-1 combination might be a promising practice for aromatic fine rice cultivation.

Nitrogen management in boro rice using chlorophyll meter (SPAD) under sub-tropical condition

Uttam Kumer Sarker — 2022-06-25

Nitrogen deficiency in rice has so far received limited attention in Bangladesh. Balanced fertilization is a pre-requisite for better rice production and it is necessary to determine optimum combination of fertilizer dose and varieties. The field experiment was carried out during the period from November 2020 to May 2021 at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh to study the SPAD value and yield performance of boro rice varieties at different nitrogen levels. The experiment comprised of four boro rice varieties viz., BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan58, BRRI dhan74, BRRI dhan81 and four level of nitrogenous fertilizers viz. 50 kg N ha^-1, 100 kg N ha^-1, 150 kg N ha^-1 and 200kg N ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. SPAD value ranged from 34.01 to 42.12 for variety and 37.81 to 42.15 for nitrogen application, while leaf nitrogen ranged from 2.98 to 3.67 % for variety and 2.94 to 3.48%. The yield contributing parameter varied significantly with variety and nitrogen rate. The highest grain yield (6.13 t ha^-1) was found in BRRI dhan58 and the lowest (3.89 t ha^-1) was observed in BRRI dhan28. In terms of fertilizer management, the highest grain yield (5.35 t ha^-1) was obtained due to the application of 150 kg N ha^-1 and the lowest grain yield (4.72 t ha^-1) was recorded from50 kg N ha^-1. The interactive effect of variety and fertilizer application exerted that the yield of BRRI dhan58 with 150 kg N ha^-1 was the highest (6.59 tha^-1) and the lowest performance (3.42 tha^-1) in grain yield was found in BRRI dhan28 with 50 kg N ha^-1. Thus, the variety BRRI dhan58 with 150 kg N ha^-1 was superior for attaining the highest yield.

Effects of calcium nitrate levels and soaking durations in cocopeat on the growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) apical rooted cuttings

Sheku N. Gbollie — 2022-09-25

This study evaluated the effects of treating cocopeat with calcium nitrate (Ca(NO₃)₂) at different soaking durations on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Apical Rooted Cuttings (ARCs) growth and yield parameters. A greenhouse pot experiment was carried out at the Climate and Water Smart Agriculture Centre of Egerton University, Kenya. An air-dried cocopeat 1.5 kg per treatment, was treated using five soaking durations (12, 24, 36, 48 and 72 hours) × four levels of Ca(NO₃)₂ (0, 60, 100 and 150 g) soaked in 15 litres of water. Soil and the untreated cocopeat were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The results showed that there was no significant (P>0.05) interaction effect of Ca(NO₃)₂ × soaking duration for the number of branches and normalized difference vegetative index. The main effect of 150 g Ca(NO₃)₂ gave the highest average number of branches (16.13), NDVI (0.89) and plant height (73.51 cm) followed by 100 g of Ca(NO₃)₂. Soaking duration of 36 hours economically produced the highest growth parameters 12.75 and 61.46 cm an average number of branches and plant height, respectively. Significant (P<0.001) interaction effects were observed for the plant height and all the yield parameters. The interaction of 100 g Ca(NO₃)₂ and soaking for 36 hours gave the highest mini-tuber yield of 464.67 g plant^-1and an average number of tubers of 21.67 tubers plant^-1. Therefore, 100 g Ca(NO₃)₂ and a soaking duration of 36 hours to treat 1.5 kg of air-dried cocopeat is recommended for higher ARCs yield and yield parameters.

FLAME PHOTOMETRIC DETERMINATION OF POTASSIUM (K) AND SODIUM (Na) IN AGRICULTURAL WASTES: BEANS PODS, GROUNDNUTS AND MELON SHELLS.

Aloysius Pam

Agricultural wastes are residues from the growing and first of raw agricultural products such as fruit, vegetables, meat, poultry, dairy product and crops. 100 g each of beans shields, groundnuts shields and melons shields were randomly collected from five different locations and labeled A, B, C into polythene bags and taken to the laboratory for analyses. Composite of each five collected samples were formed and analyzed. Moisture content of A: 20.03 ± 0.057 %, B: 10.06 ± 0.111 % and C: 17.16 ± 0.058 %; % ash content of A: 12.03 ± 0.021 %, B: 13.06 ± 0.045 %and C: 20.03 ± 0.057 %; % water soluble ash for A: 25.10 ± 0.100, B: 18.01 ± 0.012 and C: 30.00 ± 0.000 while % alkalinity of A: 34.03 ± 0.021, B: 30.00 ± 0.000 and C: 35.16 ± 0.045. Working standard solutions of potassium, K were prepared and emission intensity in triplicates of each was measured: average emission intensity for 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 ppm are 52.86 ± 0.07, 105.76 ± 0.05, 158.73 ± 0.06, 211.56 ± 0.05, 264.46 ± 0.05 respectively and a standard curve for K was plotted. Average emission intensity of K in samples A, B and C solutions were measured as 106.26 ± 0.058, 123.03 ± 0.057 and 134.36 ± 0.058 respectively. These were read up in the K standard curve and extrapolated to determine concentration (ppm) of K in A, B and C: 19.9, 24.5 and 25.7 respectively. On the other hand, working standard solutions of potassium, Na were prepared and emission intensity in triplicates of each was measured: average emission intensity for 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 ppm are 24.06 ± 0.058, 48.16 ± 0.058, 72.26 ± 0.058, 96.36 ± 0.058, 120.46 ± 0.058 respectively and a standard curve for Na was plotted. Average emission intensity of Na in samples A, B and C solutions were measured as 38.58 ± 0.052, 30.17 ± 0.051 and 42.36 ± 0.058 respectively. These were read up in the Na standard curve and extrapolated to determine concentration (ppm) of K in A, B and C: 15.4, 13.5 and 20.0 respectively. The results buttresses high emission intensity hence, high concentration (ppm) of K and Na in melon shields followed by groundnut shields and beans shields.

Effect of different sources of organic manures on yield and growth of potato at Khajura, Nepal

kishor Kafle

A field experiment was conducted in Regional station of Nepal Agriculture Research Council at khajura from November 2016 to February 2017 to assess the effect of organic manures on potato cultivation. The field experiment was carried out in a complete randomized block design with seven treatments of nutrients replicated three times. Kufri Jyoti variety of potato was used as test crop. The highest pH(6.3) content in soil was found in plot treatment with poultry manures and inorganic fertilizers. Plots treated with FYM (farmyard manures) and inorganic fertilizers produced higher SOM(soil organic matter) content in soil after harvest (2.38%) as compared to control plots (2.09%). The treatments integrated with FYM show less bulk density than the control plot. Organic manures treated plots produce taller plants as compared plots receiving inorganic fertilizers only. 50 % recommended dose of NPK(Nitrogen, phosphorus and Potassium) through inorganic fertilizers and remaining 50% RDN (recommended dose of Nitrogen) through PM (poultry manure) produced higher numbers of tubers per plot (304 tubers per plot) and total tuber yield (22.86 tha^-1).

Screening of some sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam) genotypes for yield and damage by Cylas puncticollis under rainfed conditions in Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria

Ulasi I. Joseph — 2022-09-25

A field experiment was conducted at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria during the 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons to evaluate diversity among F₁population of sweet potato, namely: Sauti × 442162 (6), Ligri × Faara (17), Sauti × Bohye (17), including two checks (Umuspo 3 and TIS 87/0087). This experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replicates under rainfed condition. Data on fresh storage root yield were recorded at 120 days after planting. Analysis of variance, correlation and principal component analysis were utilized for data analysis. The study revealed that yield of fresh storage root showed significant differences (P< 0.05) among the sweet potato genotypes. Sauti X Bohye produced the highest storage root yield (19.33 t/ha) in 2015 and performed better than the national check TIS 87/0087 that recorded a storage root yield of 10.84 t/ha. The result from the study showed that out of the forty genotypes evaluated, twenty-six (26) genotypes recorded attack of C. puncticollis. The extent of the damge recorded among the genotypes attacked by C. puncticollis ranged from severe damage to little damage among the genotypes that recorded fresh storage root damage. SautiXBohye/11, SautiXBohye/13, SautiXBohye/17 recorded severe damage caused by C. puncticollis while LigriXFaara/15 recorded moderate damaged caused by C. puncticollis. Fifteen (15) genotypes did not record any infestation by Cylas puncticollis. All characters except unmarketable storage root weight at harvest exhibited positive and significant (P< 0.01) correlation with total roots weight (yield). Principal component analysis had three main principal components explaining 84.25% of the total variation with number of marketable roots, weight of marketable roots, storage root yield and Cylas incidence contributing the most to the first PCA. These genotypes could possess resistance genes to Cylas puncticollis and these genotypes could be incorporated in breeding programs for further trail.

Comparative characterization of vegetable oils from bulk suppliers/vendors in Nasarawa town market in Nigeria

Dallatu E. Musa — 2022-09-25

The comparative characterization of vegetable oils from bulk suppliers/vendors was made in Nasarawa town market in Nigeria. For this a total volume of 400 cm³ vegetable oils were collected (200 cm³ from the top and 200 cm³ from the bottom of storage after stirring) separately into labeled plastic bottles from three major suppliers. Composite of each sample were made and physicochemical properties including densities, temperatures, boiling points, viscosities, refractive indexes free fatty acid, iodine values, saponification values and peroxide values were determined using standard procedures. The results showed the density of sample ranging from 0.91 ± 0.007 to 0.92 ± 0.007 gcm^-3; temperature of sample: 27.3 ± 0.578 to 30.3 ± 1.525 ºC; boiling point of sample 230.7 ± 1.528 ºC to 202 ± 2.000 ºC; viscosity of sample A: 1.03 ± 0.183 to 0.72 ± 0.106 mPa.S; refractive index of sample: 1.47012 ± 0.00002 to 1.45709 ± 0.00005; free fatty acid of sample A: 0.73 ± 0.057 mgKOH/g to 0.6 ± 0.173 mgKOH/g; iodine value of sample: 87.979 ± 5.870 mgKOH/g to 54.144 ± 3.595 mgKOH/g; saponification value of sample: 195.830 ± 0.499 mgKOH/g to 197.846 ± 0.856 mgKOH/g, and peroxide value of sample A: 10.1 ± 0.741 mgKOH/g to 9.9 ± 0.663 mgKOH/g. These parameters were also compared with the standards prescribed by NAFDAC and SON, which suggest that the sampled oil is suitable for consumer use. Thus, processing of vegetable oils from industrial and locally/traditionally extracted vegetable oils and vegetable oils supplied by the three vendors in the Nasarawa town market are hereby recommended as long as the suppliers maintain the standards of production, packaging and handling.

Farmers Farmers’ Perception on Pesticide Handling and Adoption Behaviour of Integrated Pest Management Practice Among Vegetable Growers in Rukum west, Nepal

Santosh Khadka

The use of chemical pesticides for the management of noxious pests in Nepalese agriculture is increasing day to day. Unsafe handling causes serious issues to human health and uncontrolled application affects non-targeted insects, soil, and the environment. An immediate change in farmers’ behavior regarding the adoption of pest management practices is difficult but the regular awareness and training about the negative impact and the alternative away will change the farmers’ attitude. The study was designed to know about the pesticide handling and Integrated Pest Management practice adoption behavior by the farmers’ of Rukum West. This study provides core information of farmers’ pesticide handling methods and Integrated Pest Management practice adoption status thus becoming the best tool for solving the minor and neglected issues. Sixty farmers from three wards of two municipalities of Rukum West district were selected randomly for the study. Primary data was collected from a questionnaire survey, Key informant interview, and Focus group discussion and analyzed in MS- Excel and SPSS. Insecticides are the most commonly used type of pesticide. Two-thirds (66.67%) of the respondents only were known about the toxicity label of the pesticide and 41% of the respondents used yellow (Moderately hazardous) label pesticide. 73.33% of the respondents follow the instruction of the pesticide packet but only 12% uses full personal protective equipment. The majority of the respondents were aware of the negative impacts of pesticides on natural enemies and soil. Headache is a major human health problem. The age of the respondents, vegetable farming land, training received, and years of vegetable farming have significantly affected the adoption of IPM technology, whereas the gender and education level of the farmer does not have any significant association with the adoption of Integrated Pest Management practices.

ECONOMICS OF POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L) PRODUCTION AND MARKETING IN DARCHULA DISTRICT OF NEPAL

Bijay Chauhan

The potato (Solanum tuberosum) is a popular root vegetable that is grown all over the world. Potato production is popular in Nepal because of its greater adaptability, high yield potential, and high demand, contributing 6.57 percent to AGDP and 2.17 percent to GDP. In Nepal, it is grown on 197,037 hectares (ha) with a yield of 13.13 metric tons per hectare and a total production of 2,586,287 metric tons. The major objective of our research was to analyze the economics and marketing state of potatoes in Api-Himal rural municipality Darchula, Nepal where a survey on potato production and marketing was conducted. A total of 60 households were randomly sampled and interviewed as the primary source of information for the research. For the residents of Api-Himal RM, there are few options for sustenance and revenue generation. The area is ideal for potato farming, and potato trading has a direct impact on rural communities' livelihoods. The B/C ratio was found to be 1.62 in the research area. The average cost of potato production was Rs. 2,67,319 while the average return was Rs. 4,32,804. The research focuses on the marketing and production of potatoes from the growers to the final customers. Low yield, insect and disease infestation, and a lack of government support are among the issues. To promote the production and marketing of potatoes, availability of improved technology, an extension of technical knowledge, efficient management of marketing channels, and substantial financial support by the government as well as local bodies are recommended.

Effect of different nitrogen levels on yield and yield attributes of different rice varieties in DDSR condition at Kanchanpur, Nepal

Dipesh Giri — 2022-09-25

An experiment on the effect of different nitrogen levels on yield and yield attributes of different rice varieties was conducted in Kanchanpur, Nepal, from March 2021 to July 2021. The experiment was laid in randomized complete block design with two factors: nitrogen levels and rice varieties, each factor having three levels (Nitrogen: 60kg/ha, 120kg/ha, and 180kg/ha and rice varieties: Hardinath 1, Hardianth 3 and Chaite 5) resulting in nine treatment
combinations. Rice seeds were sown directly in experimental plots under the dry condition on March 24, 2021. The plant spacing was 20x20cm^2. Growth parameters, grain yield, and yield attributing traits of rice were recorded. The statistical results revealed significant differences between the treatments regarding agronomical parameters, yield attributing characters, and grain yield. The results indicated that the 180 kg/ha level of N application contributes to the higher plant height (74.502 cm), the number of tillers (1101.667), effective tillers (577.222), filled grain per panicle (116.490), panicle length (25.241 cm), grain yield (4.7 ton/ha) and straw yield (10.564 ton/ha). Among the varieties, Hardinath 3 produced significantly higher plant height (79.68 cm), panicle length (25.68cm), sterility percentage, and 1000 grain weight (24.60g) as compared to Hardinath 1 and Chapter 5, respectively. However, yield and yield attributing characters like grain yield, straw yield, effective tillers, and filled grains per panicle were significantly higher in Chaite 5. Therefore, a nitrogen level of 180 kg/ha and variety Chaite5 may be used for better productivity in Kanchanpur, Nepal.

Adapting agriculture to climate change: A case study of women vegetable producers in rural communities of the Gambia

Saikou E. Sanyang — 2022-09-25

In Gambia, fruits and vegetable are the principal source of vitamins and minerals plays an important role in food, nutrition and income security of producers. Over the years’ climate change had an adverse effect on production and productivity of vegetables. The aim of the study was to address the problems faced by vegetable producers in relation to change using the climate smart agricultural technologies. The methodology of the study was random sampling administering semi-structure questionnaire, key informant interviews, and focus group discussion among producers. The finding showed that, onion registered 4000kg generating a net income of D196,000.00 followed by sweet pepper with net return of D112,000.00, however cabbage and bitter tomato there was no significant difference. Onion production was found to be the most outstanding commodity grown by women producer based on its comparative advantage. In addition, the second highest income earned was Gengi wollof’s with a net return of D707,616.00 thousand from vegetable production. Based, on the research findings I conclude that, crop diversification and intensification is the most effective and efficient resilient approach to mitigate the effects of climate change while increasing nutrition and income of vegetable producers. Therefore, recommends to government, partners, CSOs, and private sector to strengthening the capacity of women in the process of adapting and mitigating climate change related issues practicing climate smart agriculture.

A review of microplastics pollution and its remediation methods: Current scenario and future aspects

Manish Sutradhar — 2022-06-25

Global plastic production and its use have been omnipresent since the early 19th century. The disposal of plastics undergoes breakdown due to various physicochemical and biological factors that trigger the formation of microplastics (MPs). Due to their hydrophobic properties, structural stability, and functional groups, it is difficult to degrade in natural habitat. The presence of their large surface area also helps to resist the decay of MPs. This review summarizes the recent trends and development of MPs degradation. The method includes biodegradation, various types of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as photocatalytic oxidation, photo-degradation, and electrochemical oxidation, and also discussed the potential health risk factors of MPs and their degradation products. Most of the methods achieved nearly satisfactory performance that degraded the MPs into CO₂, H₂0, and also secondary microplastic particles with persistent organic pollutants (POPs) under laboratory conditions, which have been studied by various researchers. It is also evident that the degradation of MPs has many challenges, therefore finding a sustainable approach is an urgent need to deal with the issue of global microplastic pollution. Some suggestions have been highlighted such as toxicity detection of remaining MPs particles after degradation, and analysis of secondary metabolites of microbes secreted during bioremediation that may have a negative impact on the environment. The selective and specific implementation of microbes and photo-catalyst that degrade MPs into useful and nontoxic components.

the EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON SHELF LIFE AND QUALITY OF BANANA (Musa paradisiaca L.) AT GOKULESHWOR, BAITADI

saraddha khasu magar

The experiment was carried out at the horticulture laboratory, Gokuleshwor, Baitadi from 18^th Baisakh 2078 to 28^th Baisakh 2078 to study the effect of packaging materials on the quality and shelf life of bananas (Musa paradisiaca L.) cultivar Malbhog. It was carried out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 different types of packaging materials viz. T1= Control, T2=Banana leaf, T3= Straw, T4=Polythene bag, T5= Cardboard box replicated four times. Among these treatments, T1 (control) showed the highest physiological loss in weight (19.1%), lowest firmness (1.5 kg/cm²), and lowest TA (0.512%) at final day storage. Similarly, T₄(plastic bag) was found as the most effective in reducing the physiological loss in weight (6.09%), retaining the maximum firmness (3 kg/cm²) and highest TA (0.968%). The minimum total soluble solid (17.1^oBrix) was retained by control. This study reveals that bananas packaged in plastic bags recorded the lowest physiological loss in weight (6.09%) and retain more firmness (1.5 kg/cm²) than that of control. Thus, present findings indicate that bananas packaged in plastic increase the shelf life whereas banana leaf is also found to be promising packaging material for retaining the quality of the banana fruits under laboratory conditions.

Improvement of postharvest quality and shelf life of banana cv. Malbhog using different plant extracts and modified atmosphere packages in Chitwan, Nepal

Umesh Timilsina — 2022-06-25

Banana has a very short storage life. It is highly perishable, and therefore susceptible to several diseases resulting in extensive postharvest losses. A research entitled “Improvement of Postharvest Quality and Shelf life of Banana cv. Malbhog using different Plant Extracts and Modified Atmosphere Packages in Chitwan, Nepal” was conducted at the Post-Harvest Horticulture laboratory of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. The main objective of the research is to know the appropriate plant extracts and modified atmosphere package (MAP) for banana ripening and to now the effect of different plant extract on disease incidence and severity of banana. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design which consisted of eight treatments viz. Control, Garlic extracts, Neem extracts, Onion extracts, Sesamum oil, Ginger extract, Unperforated low-density polyethylene (50 µm) containing cotton soaked with KMnO₄and perforated low-density polyethylene (50 µm) containing cotton soaked with KMnO₄ respectively and replicated thrice. Different post-harvest parameters were recorded at three days intervals for 15 days. From the experiment, the lowest firmness (0.467kg/cm²) and the highest pulp (4.075) to peel ratio was noted with control. The maximum vitamin C content (6.633 mg/100 g) was recorded with the Neem extract. Regarding the organoleptic test, the index value of overall acceptability (0.87), sweetness (0.80) and flavor (1.0) were depicted highest with control whereas the low-density polyethylene containing cotton dipped in KMnO₄resulted in minimum spoilage loss (43.77%). The minimal disease incidence was noticed with the unperforated LDPE containing KMnO₄(25%) followed by Neem extracts. From the experiment, it was concluded that the low-density polyethylene-containing cotton dipped in KMnO₄and Neem extract performed significantly better in terms of post-harvest parameters and disease incidence. Further studies regarding the use of other plant extracts and modified atmospheric packages were recommended.

Investigating the fishery of Owabi fishing community in Ghana, West Africa, using traditional ecological knowledge

Samuel Amponsah

Assessing the fishery from the traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) perspective can enhance the management of fisheries by respective authorities. This study aimed at identifying issues confronting fishermen within the Owabi reservoir, Ghana, West Africa using TEK. Data from twenty (20) fishermen were collected on fishing methods and techniques, fish species, alternative livelihood using open and closed ended questionaries. From the study, fishers indicated nine species are mostly harvested from the dam, with most fish species exhibiting decline in abundance. Fisheries indicated that the fisheries of the Owabi reservoir are mostly affected negatively by climate change and waste disposal which has affected their livelihood. Therefore, to sustain the welfare of dependent households, most of the fisheries are engaged in alternative livelihood. Many fishers reiterated that some fishermen at the Owabi reservoir engage in the use of illegal fishing methods. The materials for undertaking such illegal fishing methods are secretly sourced as they are not sold in the open market. To formulate proper management measures, it is recommended that stock assessment as well as the extent of climate change impact on fish species at the Owabi reservoir be undertaken.

Assessing the dynamics of exploited population of Schilbe mystus in Stratum VII of Lake Volta, Ghana

Samuel Amponsah

This study focused on assessing the population status of Schilbe mystus from Lake Volta, Ghana, from March 2020 to December 2020. The total length of individual fish samples was measured and analyzed using the TropFish R package. The length of the sample ranged from 6 cm to 23 cm with a mean and modal length of 11.5 cm and 12.4 cm respectively. The study also revealed a mean condition factor of 0.36. The growth pattern estimated for the current study was 2.6 which indicated a negative allometric growth. The estimated growth rate (K) for the study is 0.29 per year. The length at infinity (L_∞), length at first capture (Lc₅₀), and length at first maturity (Lm₅₀) from the current study were 31.0 cm, 12.8 cm, and 18.2 cm respectively. The growth performance index of S. mystus from the study was 2.45. The total mortality rate (Z) for the species in the current study was 3.26 per year. Mortality parameters were calculated as natural mortality rate (M) = 0.54 per year and the fishing mortality rate (F) = 2.72 per year. The exploitation rate (E) of S. mystus in Stratum VII (Yeji) was found to be overexploited with an exploitation rate of 0.84. Reduction of fishing efforts and the removal of subsidies are some of the recommended management measures to sustain the stock size of S. mystus fishery in Lake Volta, Ghana.

Socio-Economic Status of Women After Establishment of Community Forest: A Case Study of Taarku Community Forest,Lamjung

Ronika Thapa

Community forests undertake the concept of both the utilization of forest resources as well as its conservation and it is why community forests are open to individuals in regular gaps of six months to a year depending on the rules and regulations of a particular community forest. Many women members in a society who used to spend a lot of time in the collection of forest resources, their access will be limited after conversion of the forest to community forest. Because of this, in the spare time they will be involved in doing business works. This research is based on a comparative survey analysis of 120 women (60/60 each) who chose to do some business and those who did not. The research was done in Gahate, Lamjung, Nepal and the method of data collection was open and close-ended questionnaires, key informant reviews, Focused Group discussions, and field observation. Results indicate that women were doing businesses of incense sticks, dairy farming, and a lot more. It was found that the ones doing business were financially independent. Thus, it is recommended that all the women in the area should be involved in doing business works to utilize their spare time properly.

Assets possession and food consumption level of haor people in a selected area of Bangladesh

Samapti Paul Shyama — 2022-06-25

Assets possession and calorie intake level of a household member reflect the livelihood patterns and food security condition of the household. The study was conducted to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics, identify the assets possession, determine the calorie intake level and analyze the perception of the households’ livelihood improvement. An interview schedule was used in field survey for primary data collection. The DFID approaches of livelihood and the consumption data of haor households of seven days were used in the study. The findings revealed that about 24.61% of the respondents were illiterate, 32.31% respondents were can sign only and 30.77% respondents had primary education, average family size was 9.66, about 51% respondents’ annual income was below Tk.60,000 (US$ 690) and, most of the respondent’s (84.62%) occupation was agriculture and fishing. The human, social, natural, physical and financial capital of the haor respondents was in a vulnerable position. The findings also revealed that about 44.61% of the respondents belonged to the ultra-poor whose per day per person calorie intake was 1350.56k.cal. All of the respondents demanded the improved road and communication facilities which are essential for their livelihood and food security improvement. The haor is being tarnished fast due to mishandling and damaging activities. The government should take necessary steps to improve the road and communication facilities in the haor area which will foster the socioeconomic development of haor people in Bangladesh.

Impact of biochar and plastic mulch on soil properties in a maize field in Nepal

Subash Bishwakarma — 2022-06-25

Biochar is a carbon rich product obtained from organic material by a process called pyrolysis. Similarly, plastic mulch protects soil from erosion, conserve water, suppress weed, and makes soil condition favorable for crop growth. The use of biochar and mulch has the potential to boost soil fertility by raising soil pH, increasing water and nutrient holding capacity, improving cation exchange capacity, and increasing microbial population. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of biochar application and plastic mulch on soil properties applied in maize fields with sandy loam soil at Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal from 31 March to 6 July 2018. The experiment was carried out in a split-plot design having plastic mulch as a main factor and biochar doses as a sub factor with three replications. The main plot is comprised of plastic mulch and no mulch. Similarly, the subplot consisted of four biochar doses i.e., 0 t/ha, 5 t/ha, 15 t/ha, and 25 t/ha. To know the effect of treatments the soil samples were collected at random points in the middle of each plot (to avoid edge effect) from 30 cm depth with the help of a screw auger. Dried, and grounded soil samples were analyzed in the lab. The results indicated that the Bulk density of soil relatively decreased with the plastic mulch but it was significantly higher in plots with biochar. 0 t/ha biochar showed the highest (1.22 gm/cm³) bulk density and the lowest was obtained from 25 t/ha (1.09 gm/cm³). However, soil parameters such as soil pH, Cation Exchange Capacity, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Organic Carbon were relatively higher under plastic mulch over no mulch. In the same way, the potassium content of the soil was significantly influenced by biochar doses, it was the highest at 25 t/ha (741.47 Kg/ha) and the lowest at 0 t/ha (351.60 Kg/ha). However, soil pH, CEC, N, P, and OC were relatively increased with increasing rates of biochar application. Therefore, application rate of 25 t ha⁻¹ biochar and use of plastic mulch in soil is considered as suitable because these efficiently increase soil moisture. In addition to that biochar increase Potassium content, decrease bulk density, and also improves Soil pH, Cation Exchange Capacity, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and Organic Carbon of soil.

Understanding farmers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices of pesticide use in Nepal: synthesis of a systematic literature review

Kishor Atreya — 2022-06-25

Literature suggests a deeper understanding of farmers’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of pesticide use in agriculture, especially in developing countries, to identify interventions to reduce pesticide use in agriculture. In this paper, we thus performed a systematic review of literature on KAP of farmers on chemical pesticide use in Nepal through a systematic literature search on Scopus web repository published between 2000 and 2021. We got 114 publications initially, and with a well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, we finally reviewed 29 articles for data extraction. The results indicate (i) an inadequate KAP of farmers on pesticide use. For example, three in four farmers were found to wash their clothes after pesticide spray. One in four farmers wore boots and only one in ten farmers wore glasses during pesticide spray. Approximately 54% of farmers take a shower after pesticide spray and just one in four farmers bury empty pesticide containers in the soil. Prior studies identified that the lack of awareness and training on the handling practices is the major cause of pesticide misuse; and through formal education and introducing integrated pest management strategies for controlling pests could reduce pesticide misuse. Another notable finding is the lack of KAP theoretical understanding in the prior publications. Many studies in Nepal studied much less on ‘attitude” but much higher on “practice” of pesticide usage. We thus propose a new KAP study framework for future research to understand ground-level behavioral change and improve the effectiveness of the KAP-related programs and interventions.

SOILLESS FARMING: THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE

Dipesh Joshi

Soilless farming is the cultivation of crops without the use of soil as a rooting media. Hydroponic, Aeroponic, Vertical farming, and other soilless techniques exist, depending on the demand and type of crop. Megacities are expanding at an alarming rate. So, a revolution in urban agriculture is required to address the issue of food scarcity and malnutrition. Soilless farming in urban areas can alleviate these major quantitative and qualitative food challenges. About 3.5% of the world's crops are grown under tunnels and greenhouses using soilless agricultural techniques based on the hydroponic solution. Hydroponic farms can be set up by people who live in deserts, the arctic, and other regions where farming is difficult. There are fewer pests and weeds since there is no soil. It's a good fit for biological research and analyzing interactions between many biotic and abiotic elements that influence plant growth. Crops grown on Soil-Less or Hydroponics Culture include vegetables, fruits, flowers, and medicinal crops. In soilless culture systems, growth media takes the place of soil. Organics (barks, coconut coir, coconut soil, fleece, marc, peat) or inorganic substrates are utilized as growth media. Aquaponics has a bright future in Nepal as it is still in its early stages, with good growth and expansion anticipated. As a result, several crops are produced per year, resulting in increased income. Soilless cultures are regarded as a newly discovered strategy for agricultural development however, they are far from easy to implement.

EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT TRAPS OF METHYL EUGENOL TO MONITOR THE FRUIT FLIES IN HORTICULTURE FARM, KIRTIPUR

Saurav Ranabhat

A field experiment was conducted at Warm-Temperate Horticulture Center (WTHC), Kirtipur, Kathmandu from March to July 2021 to know the most effective methyl eugenol (ME) trap to monitor fruit flies and to know the species attracted to the traps. Plastic bottle trap, Pet jar trap, Bucket trap, McPhail trap, and Steiner trap were the five treatments of the experiment. Each treatment is replicated four times in RCBD in Pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) orchard. Each treatment consisted of one distinct trap containing Methyl eugenol (ME) and Malathion, hung on a Pear tree 1 m from the ground level. Refilling of ME and malathion was done every 15 days and data were taken every week. Four different species viz. Bactrocera dorsalis, B. zonata, B. correcta and B. tuberculata were observed. B. dorsalis was the most observed species. It was found to be significantly lower in the plastic bottle trap. McPhail trap showed higher significance in capturing B. zonata. The abundance of fruit flies was higher in June and July, during wet monsoon periods.

Formulation and evaluation of oro dispersible tablet of Amitritypline Hydrochloride

Rohit Suman

Amitriptyline hydrochloride is tetracycline antidepressant drug and is chemically known as 1-paopanamine, 3-(10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]-cyclohepten-5-ylidene)-N,N-Dimethyl-hydrochloride which is used for treatment of depression. The present study deals with the formulation and evaluation of Orodispersible tablets of antidepressant Amitriptyline hydrochloride with the aim of developing the dosage form which has better bioavailability, patient compliance and therapeutic achievement. The quantity of API in the formulation is 10 mg and the proposed weight of the tablet is 90 mg. The use of different super disintegrants in varying quantity for the formulation is focused in the study along with MCCP-102, Lactose anhydrous, Talc, Aspartame, Magnesium stearate and pine apple flavor. Use of dry granulation method is primarily applied for tableting using 6 mm punch in the manufacture of tablets. The optimum effective formulation is determined by evaluating different pre compression parameters like angle of repose, bulk density, tapped density, carr’s index, hausner’s ratio and moisture content. And post compression parameters like hardness, friability, in vitro dissolution, in vitro disintegration time, weight variation, assay and uniformity of content. The overall objectives of the study were to attempt, to formulate the Orodispersible tablets of Amitriptyline hydrochloride with the best possible available technique. Based on the result obtained after evaluation of all the formulation, the formulation F1 and F3 doesn’t comply with the specification. The remaining formulation F2, F4, F5, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11, F12, and F13 complies with the limit.

Treatments of common bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with insecticides for managing bean stem maggot [Ophiomyia spp. (Tryon) (Diptera: Agromyzidae)] in SNNPR, Ethiopia

Getachew Mengesha — 2022-06-25

Bean stem maggot (BSM) is one of the main threatening insect pests that cause significant bean plant mortalities and associated grain yield reductions. The field research work was conducted for three successive years (2018 - 2020) in Burji, southern Ethiopia, to decide the effects of insecticide seed treatment in reducing bean plant mortality and severity/damage caused by BSM and enhancing the grain yield of common bean. The research contained seven treatments and was arrayed in a randomized complete block design with three replicas. In 2018, the lowest seedling mortality (SM) (11.78%) and matured plant mortality (MPM) (21.89%) were registered from Diazinone-treated plots. However, it was not statistically varied from Thiram + Carbofuran (13.33% for SM and 22.22% for MPM). Bean seeds treated with Diazinon considerably reduced initial percent severity index (PSI_i) by 79.79% and final percent severity index (PSI_f) by 79.98%, followed by Thiram + Carbofuran with PSI_i by 55.67% and PSI_f by 76.98% over untreated plots. Lowest total number of larvae (TNL) (15.00 and 22.67) and pupae (TNP) (11.00 and 13.67) were noted from Diazinone and Thiram + Carbofuran, in that order. Comparable fashions for SM, MPM, PSI_i, PSI_f, TNL, and TNP were encountered for these insecticides in 2019 and 2020. Grain yields of 2229.37 and 2213.39 kg ha^-1 (in 2018) and 2648.29 and 2503.20 kg ha^-1 (in 2020) were attained from Diazinone and Thiram + Carbofuran, respectively. Monetary analysis also affirmed that Diazinone ($126,429.52 ha^-1) and Thiram + Carbofuran ($122,241.67 ha^-1) led to a higher monitory advantage over untreated control and other insecticides. Therefore, Diazinon and Thiram + Carbofuran, one of them as an alternative option, could be advised as a seed treatment to the growers for efficient control of BSM and optimization of grain yield.

Influence of socio-economic attributes of farmers on the adoption of orchard management practices of mandarin in Myagdi district, Nepal

Anit Poudel — 2022-06-25

Mandarin is one of the major and highly commercialized fruit crops of Nepal. However, its productivity is widely varied throughout the country. The association of socio-economic characteristics of the farmers with the adoption of different orchard management practices and ultimately productivity is less known. Therefore, survey research was conducted in the Myagdi district to study the influence of socio-economic attributes on the adoption of different orchard management practices and their relation to the productivity of mandarin. A total sample size of 94 was selected by simple random sampling technique and interviewed with a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire. Data were entered and analyzed using MS Excel, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and STATA, and the inferences were retrieved using the binary logistic regression model and multiple linear regression model. The study showed that the education level of the farmers has a positive influence on the adoption of mulching (p = 0.04) and pruning (p = 0.07). The secondary income source of the household has a positive impact on the adoption of chemical fertilizers (p = 0.08) and pruning (p = 0.03). Commercial mandarin farming in larger area has a positive influence on the adoption of Bordeaux mixture (p = 0.03) and insect management (p = 0.01). Extension services has great influence on the adoption of chemical fertilizers (p = 0.02), mulching (p = 0.03), Bordeaux mixture (p = 0.00) and insect management (p = 0.1). However, education level (p = 0.05), area under mandarin farm (p = 0.09), and extension services (p = 0.00) discourage the adoption of intercropping in the mandarin orchard. The productivity of mandarin orchards was significantly enhanced by FYM application, chemical fertilizers, irrigation, weeding, and Bordeaux application. This study shows that the farmers with better socio-economic conditions are more likely to adopt improved management practices in mandarin orchard which in turn enhance their productivity.

Assessing the Economic and Energy Use Efficiencies of Rice through Omission Plot Technique in Lamjung, Nepal

Alina Pokhrel

The main objective of this experiment was to evaluate the yields, economics, and energy use efficiencies in rice. The experiment was carried out in RCBD with 3 replications having ten treatments viz. US 312+60:30:20 kg NPKha^-1(T₁), US312+0:30:20 kg NPKha^-1(T₂), US312+60:0:20 kg NPKha^-1(T₃), US312+60:30:0 kg NPKha^-1 (T₄), US312 + 0: 0 :0 kg NPKha^-1 (T₅), Sukhadhan-2+60:30:20 kg NPKha^-1(T₆), Sukhadhan-2+0: 30:20 kg NPKha^-1(T₇), Sukhadhan-2+60: 0:20kg NPKha¹(T₈), Sukhadhan-2:60:30:0kg NPKha^-1 (T₉), Sukhadhan-2+ 0:0:0 kg NPKha^-1(T₁₀). Results revealed that the highest grain yield and yield attributes were obtained from T₁ (4.98 t ha^-1) followed by T₄ (4.76 t ha¹), and T₃ (4.54 t ha^-1). The highest energy use efficiency of 3.95 was observed under T₄ which was supported by the highest output energy obtained from grain and biomass yield (1.53x10⁵MJ/ha) and highest net energy (1.17x10⁵ MJ/ha). The benefit-cost ratio was found the highest in T₁ (1.98). Variety US-312 with 60:30:20kg NPK ha^-1 was found to be better than other combinations in terms of higher grain yield and was economically efficient in the western mid-hills of Nepal.

A REVIEW ON SAVING, INVESTMENT AND GROWTH IN NEPAL

Samikshya Sedhai

The relationship between savings, investment, and economic growth in Nepal is examined in this study based on secondary data. This study demonstrates that in economic literature, there is no consensus on the relationship between saving, investment, and economic growth. The question of whether saving and investing are generally beneficial or harmful to economic growth remains unanswered. Most of the studies found that saving and investment have significant positive impact on economic growth in long run. Various studies found that countries with higher savings rates have grown faster than countries with lower savings rates. Capital accumulation provides a country with more chances for production and productivity. Without a doubt, investment contributes to overall growth; but, investment cannot be expanded without an increase in savings. To achieve long-term economic development, a country's aggregate savings must increase, resulting in more investments and higher Gross Domestic Product growth. As a result, in order to achieve economic growth, governments must implement a variety of policies, including encouraging savings, supporting investment, and growing domestic production.

Wastewater treatment using coconut fibre ash as an adsorbent for removal of heavy metals

Fahmida Akter Jolly — 2022-06-25

The study aimed at evaluating the performance of coconut fibre ash as an alternative low-cost adsorbent to the synthetic adsorbents used in wastewater treatment. This research aims to identify the optimum condition for the adsorption process, considering the effect of particle size, adsorbent dosage, and contact time of adsorbents of coconut fibre ash in removing lead (Pb), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) metal ions from electroplating wastewater. The adsorbents coconut fibre ash was prepared through activation of carbon at 450º C after following proper cleaning and drying process. The experiments were conducted at varying adsorbent dosages (0.2 g, 0.6 g, and 1 g), particle size (50 to 200 microns), and contact times (40 minutes, 80 minutes, and 120 minutes). The result shows that adsorbents show less efficiency in removing Zn metal ions, which is not more than 34% in the case of 1g adsorbent dosage, particle size ranges 100-200 microns, and 120 minute contact time. The maximum removal efficiency of 95.04% and 80% was obtained at the optimum amount (1g) of adsorbent dosage for Pb and Cu respectively. In the case of contact time, it was identified that the optimum condition for maximum removal efficiency is 120 minutes with a 1g adsorbent dosage both for Pb and Cu ions. To ensure maximum removal of metal avoiding any desorption of the metal ion from the adsorbent surface, it was identified that a maximum contact time of 120 minutes should be allowed for adsorption. However, it could be concluded that adsorbents of coconut fibre ash can be used in treating wastewater facilitating good adsorption capacity in removing heavy metals, low cost and availability.

Biochemical composition of some catfishes from a coastal river of Bangladesh in relation to a biometric indicator

Md. Rahamat Ullah — 2022-06-25

The proximate contents (protein, lipid, ash, and moisture) of three catfish species (Pangasius pangasius, Clupisoma garua, and Silonia silondia) were investigated from a coastal river of Bangladesh. The proximate composition was determined using the AOAC (1990) standard procedure. The average length and weight of the fish samples used in the experiment were 21.50 ± 1.61 cm and 65.55 ± 13.12 g; 19.67 ± 0.21 cm and 50.74 ± 3.13 g; 18.2 ± 1.21 cm and 43.40 ± 10.42 g for P. pangasius, C. garua, and S. silondia, respectively. The P. pangasius, C. garua, and S. silondia were rich protein sources, with 20.19%, 18.86%, and 15.24%, respectively. On the other hand, the lipid and ash contents were ranged between 2.11% to 3.07% and 0.52% to 2.28% respectively. The present study disclused water as the most abundant element in fish bodies ranging from 75.05% (P. pangasius) to 79.60% (S. silondia). In log-transformed data, the weight of the fish body had a very significant positive relationship with most of the studied body constituents. In all three fish species, total length in log-transformed data and Fulton's condition factor showed a highly significant positive relationship with most of the studied body constituents. These findings suggest that biological differences like length and weight across species can influence the fishes biochemical composition that should be established.

The current scenario and future aspects of cyanotoxins: A review study

MANISH SUTRADHAR

Water bodies that are laden with rich nutrient sources are considered to be a medium for the profuse growth of algae and blooms. They induce the production of harmful metabolites called cyanotoxins that are highly toxic to animals and the human body. Cyanobacteria are light-dependent living organisms that are responsible for producing the highest oxygen in the world. Cyanotoxins are considered to be the natural pollutants produced by some cyanobacterial species that occur worldwide. In terms of their role in the ecosystem, applications, and biosynthesis, proper understanding related to research and development is needed for the fate of humanity. The knowledge of cyanotoxins is very new and awareness has been created since very last few years. This review article provides a basic introduction to cyanobacterial toxins, including a holistic view of public health throws, exposure routes, drinking water issues, and mitigation efforts.

A REVIEW ON EFFECT OF HEAT STRESS AND DROUGHT ON WHEAT AND IT'S TOLERANCE MECHANISM

Santosh Gupta

Wheat is a mainstay of Nepalese cuisine, and it is cultivated throughout the nation all through the winter months. The impact of abiotic stress on wheat, such as heat and drought, is discussed in this review article. Biochemical, physiological, and morphological processes are all affected by such stressors.

Understanding the physiological and biochemical responses of crops to any unfavorable circumstance is essential for developing mechanisms and techniques for plant tolerance. Drought at CRI reduces yield by 60%, while Heat stress causes about ( 16.6 %) yield loss. Drought tolerance is managed by drought escape, drought avoidance and drought traits. Heat stress is also endured by the plant's anti-oxidative defense mechanism and the synthesis of heat shock proteins (HSPs).

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DOSES OF VERMICOMPOST AND INORGANIC FERTILIZER ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF RADISH (Raphanus sativus) VARIETIES IN KASKI, NEPAL

Sunira Marahatta

The research was conducted at Pokhara-5, Malepatan, Kaski from March to June, 2021 to study about the effect of different doses of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of radish (Raphanus sativus) varieties. The research was conducted as 2 two factorial RCBD with 12 treatments; each replicated thrice. First factor was variety with two levels : Tokinashi and Mino early and second factor was fertilizer combination with six levels: control, 75% vermicompost+ 25% inorganic fertilizer, 50% vermicompost+ 50% inorganic fertilizer, 25% vermicompost+ 75% inorganic fertilizer, 100% inorganic fertilizer and 100% vermicompost. Days to 50% germination, growth parameters at 20, 30, 40 and 50 Days after sowing and yield parameters at 55 Days after sowing were recorded. It has been observed that the growth and yield attributing characters of radish were significantly affected by variety and fertilizer levels. Mino early recorded highest result for all growth parameters whereas highest result for yield attributing characters was recorded from Tokinashi. The combination of inorganic fertilizer with vermicompost gave higher result in terms of both growth and yield attributing parameters than 100% inorganic fertilizer alone. Interaction effect of variety and fertilizer levels for all parameters at all dates of observations was found to be non significant. The result showed that highest yield was obtained from Tokinashi (4.55kg/m²) and 50% vermicompost + 50% inorganic fertilizer (5.61kg/m²). Thus, it is suitable to use Tokinashi variety and fertilizer combination of inorganic fertilizer and vermicompost rather than sole application of both fertilizers.

Effect of Seeding Density on Growth Attributes of Broccoli var. Centauro Seedling in Nursery

Bibek Acharya

Quality seedlings play an important role in the crop establishment, and thus the yield in production field. Generally, farmers broadcast seeds on a nursery bed without maintaining the proper spacing that influence seedlings growth and development in nursery. Therefore, the research was carried out in nursery field of Lamjung Campus to see the effect of seeding in growth attributes of seedling during October, 2018. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five replications. Four seeding density treatments were managed by maintaining the space for each seed viz. T₁: 0.5 cm x 1 cm, T₂: 1.0 cm x 1 .0 cm, T₃: 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm and T₄: 2.0 cm x 2.0 cm were allocated. Broccoli variety- Centauro was used for the experiment. Leaf area was measured by using ImageJ software. Similarly, MS-Excel was used for data tabulation and data were analyzed by using GenStat. Germination of seed was 94% in lab and seedling establishment was 67.33% in nursery bed. Different growth parameters like root length, plant height, root fresh weight, shoot fresh weight, dry weight of shoot and % of shoot dry weight were studied by destructive sampling after 23 days of seed sowing. Significant differences were obtained on plant height, root length, leaf area and fresh weight of root. Root length was statistically higher (5.67cm) in 2.0 cm ⅹ 2.0 cm spacing whereas significantly lower root length was found in 0.5 cm ⅹ 1.0 cm which was statistically at par with 1.0 cm ⅹ 1.0 cm. Higher leaf area (18.01cm²) was found in 2 cm x 2 cm spacing which was statistically at par with 1.5 cm ⅹ 1.5 cm and 1.0 cm ⅹ 1.0 cm spacing. In general, seeding at 2 cm ⅹ 2 cm spacing performed better in most of the important attributes under this study but there is a scope of wider spacing trails for further recommendation.

Effect of different concentration of ethephon on banana (cv. Malbhog) ripening and post- harvest life at laboratory condition

Umesh Timilsina — 2022-03-25

A research study entitled effect of different concentration of ethephon on banana (cv. Malbhog) ripening and post-harvest life at laboratory condition was conducted to find out the best concentration of ethephon on banana ripening and quality parameters after harvest under ordinary room conditions. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design which comprised of five treatments; control, ethephon @ 250 ppm, Ethephon @ 500 ppm, ethephon @ 750 ppm and ethephon @ 1000 ppm replicated four times. Different post-harvest parameters were recorded on alternate days for 10 days. From the experiment, the use of ethephon @ 1000 ppm and Ethephon @ 750 ppm was found more effective regarding banana ripening and other parameters. On the final day of storage, the highest (2.937) pulp to peel ratio was recovered with ethephon @ 1000 ppm. The maximum TSS/TA ratio (31.51) was recorded in bananas treated with ethephon @ 750 ppm. The highest vitamin C content (6.285 mg/100g) was observed with ethephon@1000 ppm. The respondent gave a higher score for fruits kept as control than ethephon treated banana. Overall acceptability regarding sweetness, flavor was superior in control banana than the ethephon treated banana. The minimum spoilage loss was recorded with ethephon @ 1000 ppm (25.0%) and ethephon @500 ppm (25.0 %). From the experiment the concentration of ethephon 1000 ppm and 750 ppm was found to be effective for banana ripening.

Existing agroforestry practices and their contribution to the socio-economic condition of the people of west Nawalparasi, Nepal: A case study

Sindhu Pokharel — 2022-03-25

The modern agroforestry systems have the potential to improve livelihood through the
production of food, fodder, and firewood as well as mitigation of the impact of climate change. Therefore, it's high time to study local people's perception towards agroforestry adoption and suggest potential agroforestry practices and their benefits for the upliftment of their livelihood. This research was conducted in Susta rural municipality, Pratappur rural municipality, and Bardaghat municipality of Nawalaparasi (West) district to explore the existing agroforestry practices followed by the people, its contribution to the economy of households, to understand the people's perception/attitude towards its adoption and finally to propose the potential agroforestry practices. Primary data were collected using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools and secondary information through journals and reports. The analysis begins with distinguishing agroforestry systems and practices, preference of trees, benefits through these practices, people's perception, and problems regarding these practices. A total of 39 tree species and 30 food crop species were planted by 282 household people surveyed. Mangifera indica (relative prevalence 25.92%) is the most predominant fruit species whereas Dalbergia sissoo (relative prevalence 21.28%) is the most predominant timber species. It was found that the boundary planting pattern of the agroforestry system is most (40%) used by farmers of Parasi. The result demonstrated that agroforestry aids in the improvement of livelihood. Nevertheless, respondents have experienced increment incidences of pests and diseases to the annual crops and trees. Hence, the provision of training to improve the skills and knowledge of households seem to be the major need to flourish the agroforestry practices.

Growth analysis of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija) under three agronomic practices

Mukta Akter — 2022-03-25

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to investigate the growth of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija) under three agronomic practices. The study comprised of two nursery seeding densities viz. 40 and 80 g seeds m^-2, three ages of seedlings viz. 20, 30 and 40-day old, and three levels of seedlings hill^-1viz. 2, 4 and 6 seedlings hill^-1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. For individual treatment effects, the highest plant height, number of tillers hill^-1, total dry matter, leaf area index and crop growth rate were found when seedlings were raised @ 40g seed m^-2 and 30-day old seedlings were transplanted @4 seedlings hill^-1. In interaction, the highest number of tillers hill^-1 (13.00) and total dry matter (22.93 g) at 45 DAT, and crop growth rate (6.71 g m^-2 day^-1) at 15-30 DAT were obtained from the interaction among 40 g seed m^-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 4 seedlings hill^-1. On the other hand, the tallest plant (73.27 cm) at 45 DAT was found from the interaction among 80 g seed m^-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 4 seedlings hill^-1, while the highest leaf area index (2.87) was recorded from the interaction of 40 g seed m^-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 2 seedlings hill^-1 at 50 DAT. Considering both the significant individual and interaction treatment effects on the growth parameters, the use of 40 g seed m^-2 × 30-day old seedlings × 4 seedlings hill^-1could improve the growth performance of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija). Therefore, a nursery seeding density of 40 g seed m^-2 and 30-day old seedlings transplanting with 4 seedlings hill^-1 appears as the promising combination in respect of growth performance of short duration transplanted Aus rice (cv. Parija).

Effect of different growing media on growth and yield of leafy vegetables in nutrient film technique hydroponics system

Sadhana Chhetri — 2022-03-25

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of growing media on the growth and yield of leafy vegetables in the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) of Hydroponic cultivation. This research was carried out for two months (Nov to Dec 2020) in the research house of Wind Power Nepal Pvt. Ltd, located at an altitude of 1310 meters above sea level. The experimental design used in this study was a factorial randomized block design (RBD) with two factors. The first factor was growing media; namely cocopeat, sponge, and perlite. The second factor was crop types namely lettuce and pakchoi that were harvested in 30 days. The data were subjected to the ANOVA technique in R-studio software version 4.0.0 and Fisher’s protected LSD test was used to separate the means. The highest plant yield (12.55 g) was obtained from plants grown in cocopeat in the NFT hydroponics system. The longest plant shoot height (9.69 cm) was obtained from plants grown in the sponge, while the lowest plant shoot height (8.85 cm) was observed in plants grown in perlite. The broadest plant leaf width (5.54 cm) was observed in plants grown in the cocopeat when compared to the sponge (4.93 cm) and perlite (4.32 cm) growing media. The results of this study showed that growing media cocopeat followed by sponge performed better as compared to perlite. The combination of the two factors showed an insignificant result in growth and yield parameters. For the hydroponics cultivation of lettuce and pakchoi, cocopeat followed by sponges should be used as a growing medium for better growth and yield.

Allelopathic effects of Juglans regia leaf extract on seed germination and seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rye (Secale cereale)

P.S. Chauhan — 2022-03-25

This investigation was conducted to study the allelopathic effects of Juglans regia (Walnut) leaf extract on seed germination and seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and rye (Secale cereale). For this J. regia leaves extract was selected to analyze its allelopathic effects on seed germination and seedling growth of wheat and rye seeds. Applied seeds was treated with J. regia leaves extract using 2%, 4% and 6% concentrations. Different parameters i.e., seed germination, seedling growth, mortality percentage, fresh and dry weight of plumule and radicle was observed after the experiments. The higher seed germination percentage (50%) was recorded at 2% level, in both the applied seeds, which is followed by 4% in comparison to control. Almost higher concentration showed deleterious effects than the lower doses on germination percentage and seedling growth. The highest mortality percentage (70%) has been recorded at 4% level in wheat and 6% level in both wheat and rye seeds. Therefore, the results indicated that the growing weeds in high quantity between crops can affect the productivity rate of crops due to its allelopathic effects. The allelopathic compounds can be used as natural herbicides and other pesticides; they are less disruptive of the global ecosystem than are synthetic agrochemicals.

Reproductive potential and histological profiling of the wild female anadromous shad (Tenualosa ilisha) in lower Meghna Estuary, Bangladesh

Mousumi Akhter — 2022-03-25

Hilsha shad (Tenualosa ilisha, Hamilton 1822) is the most commercially important and national fish of Bangladesh, belongs to the family of Clupeidae of the Clupeiformes. The study was conducted to identify the seasonal gonadal cycles through histological study and the peak breeding season combining histological and Gonado Somatic Index (GSI). One hundred and twenty fish samples with an average weight of 756.75±6.25 g was collected from the Tentulia river for the study throughout the year. Monthly mean GSI values of females ranged from 6.36±0.69 to 15.02±1.33. The lowest mean GSI value was found in December and the highest GSI value was in October. From the histological observation of the ovary, early perinucleolar stage, late perinucleolar stage, yolk vesicle stage, yolk granule stage, pre-mature and mature stages were identified. The highest percentage (75%) of mature oocytes and peak breeding season were observed in October and the breeding season continues from October to November. These results will be helpful for fishery managers to impose adequate regulations for sustainable fishery management in Bangladesh.

Capacity strengthening of fish farmers for improving their livelihood in Mymensingh district of Bangladesh

Fatema Tuz Zohra — 2022-06-25

This study examines the capacity strengthening status for improving the livelihood of fish farmers of Muktagacha upazila (sub-district) of Bangladesh. A mix method research design was used to collect data from 70 fish farmers of the study area. Nine selected demographic characteristics of the respondents were age, level of education, household size, farm size, fish farming experience, training received on fish farming, access to credit, extension media
contact and organizational participation. Findings reveal that half of the respondents (50%) had moderate level of capacity strengthening score while considerable portion of the respondents (36%) had high level of capacity strengthening score. The livelihood status of fish farmers improved to a great extent in five aspects of livelihood (human, social, natural, physical and financial) due to the creation of income generating opportunities after their involvement in fish farming. This study concludes that fish farming has major contributions for the capacity strengthening of fish farmers for improving their livelihood status.

Rainfall Trend and its Implications for Sustainable Crop Production: A Case Study of Iwo, Nigeria

Timothy O. Ogunbode

Studies have revealed that rainfall pattern will change in view of climate change scenario being experienced globally. Thus, a 30-year rainfall data analysis was conducted for Iwo in Osun State, southwestern Nigeria to determine the trend pattern of rainfall. Non-parametric Mann-Kendall statistic was used and co-tested with regression analysis. M-K showed no trend in the rainfall while regression showed that five months showed negative trend indicating declining rainfall over the period, seven months revealed a positive trend implying increasing rainfall over the period for those months. However, the general analysis of the 30-year data showed that there was general decline in the rainfall incidence over the period in Iwo. The results of monthly trend indicated that rainfall is no longer dependable for rain-fed agriculture, and so water conservation methodologies need to be adopted in order to sustain crop production. It is recommended that shifting in the planting dates, irrigation, best agronomic practices, among others should be considered by, especially small scale farmers. Stakeholders in water resources management holds the responsibility on averting water scarcity and the challenge of water pollution in view of the erratic rainfall.

A Shoot-root traits of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) affected by electrical conductivity based salinity stress

Md. Mokter Hossain

Tomato is one of the most important and popular vegetable crop grown mainly dry seasons in Bangladesh. The southern part of the country is suffering from soil salinity problem due tidal flood. The increasing salinity in the cultivatable land causes huge crop failure. A dozen of tomato varieties have been developed but they are not been tested for salinity tolerance. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the tolerance level of tomato varieties against NaCl salinity stress at vegetative stage. The study comprised of four levels of electrical conductivity (EC) based NaCl salinity viz., EC 2 (control), EC 4, EC 6, and EC 8 mS/cm and eight varieties of tomato. The two-factor pot experiment was carried out in randomized complete block design with four replications. NaCl salinity was imposed to the tomato plants through hydroponic culture system and the effects of salinity to shoot-roots traits were measured. Results showed that morphological traits of tomato plants varied significantly with the salinity levels and variety. It was also noticed that all the vegetative traits reduced as salt concentrations increased in the solution. In combined effects of variety and salinity levels, it was found that BARI Tomato-17 performed superior. It can conclude that BARI Tomato-17 showed comparatively salt tolerant than the other variety.

PROFITABILITY AND ADOPTION OF MODERN WHEAT VARIETIES IN RAJSHAHI DISTRICT OF BANGLADESH

Nasrtin Begum

The study aims to estimate the area coverage, productivity, profitability and adoption scenarios of wheat cultivation in different locations of Bangladesh. The study also identified factors affecting productivity and constraints of wheat cultivation in Rajshahi district of Bangladesh. A popular wheat-producing district namely, Rajshahi was selected purposively for this study. Data were obtained randomly through a field-level survey of 140 farmers under Charghat and Bagha Upazilas of the Rajshahi district. Cobb-Douglas production function was used for assessing the factors affecting wheat productivity. The results revealed that 100% of the total wheat cultivated areas were occupied by BARI wheat varieties in Rajshahi district. The average level of adoption of BARI Gom 28, BARI Gom 30, BARI Gom 25, BARI Gom 24 (Prodip) and BARI Gom 26 were 34.21%, 18.47%, 15.89%, 13.48%, and 12.63%, respectively at farm level. The cultivation of BARI released wheat varieties were profitable to the farmers as per the hectare net return was Tk 8030. The parametric analysis (Cobb-Douglas) showed that mechanical power cost, seed, sowing time, urea, gypsum and herbicide had positive effects on the yield of wheat production. Inaccessibility of latest wheat varieties’ seed, late sowing, lack of training, attack of diseases (BpLB and Rust) low market price at the time of harvest were the main constraints to wheat cultivation at the farm level in Rashahi dietrict of Bangladesh.

Yield Stability of Different Rice Genotypes under different agroecological domains of Nepal

Neha Sah

Rice, being one of the most important cereal crops ranking first in terms of area and production, its yield production depends upon the high yielding genotype with desirable traits and stability around the diverse ecosystem. Different varieties of rice interact with the environment differently which means the reaction of different varieties with the environment differs accordingly. The variation in environment, the interaction between the genotypes, and the management practices govern the final grain yield of rice. Diverse genotypes are necessary to cope the adverse environments. Two genotypes, NR 11375-B-B-21 and NR 11374-B-B-23, are suitable cultivars for both upland and lowland conditions in Nepal's mid-hills. Genotype yield potential is more in lowland conditions. The genotype and environment interaction over different locations and years affect the final grain yield in hybrid varieties. A brief review of yield stability of different rice genotypes under different agroecological domains of Nepal is to increase the production of various varieties of rice under different environments and which genotype is suitable for the particular environment.

Scope and challenges of mushroom production and their mitigations in Nepal: A review

Rojina Sapkota — 2022-06-25

This review paper aims to discuss and compile information regarding various scopes, challenges, and mitigating measures of mushroom cultivation in Nepal. Overall information on mushroom cultivation comprising its status, scope, and problems is vital for bringing positive change in this sector. Different secondary sources of information were reviewed and analyzed including journals like Elsevier and Springer. In Nepal, the production of mushrooms has increased about 8.23 times over a decade until 2020. Nepal is blessed with a range of ecosystems that really are ideal for mushroom production. Different mushroom species have been commercially cultivated in different parts of Nepal. Mushroom production can be used as an alternative source to overcome food and nutrition security problems and eventually leads to the livelihood improvement of people in developing countries like Nepal. The study revealed that mushrooms can be used to fight several diseases with their nutritional and medicinal properties. The demand for mushrooms is increasing nowadays more than ever. With the implementation of various measures with proper coordination and planning, mushroom cultivation can be proliferated. As a result, the mushroom industry has a lot of potentials to help the country's socioeconomic transition. Nepal can capitalize on this opportunity by enacting appropriate and concrete national mushroom policies and programs.

EFFECT ON THE YIELD OF GINGER AS INTERCROPPING WITH DIFFERENT CROPS.

Prabesh Devkota

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the major high-value cash crops in Nepal. Low yield, conventional farming, and limited access to production resources such as improved cultivars, production technologies, and extension services are the existing problems of Nepali ginger farmers. In this study, we conducted intercropping of ginger with different crops. This research aimed to explore the appropriate ginger farming technology considering yield, income, and environment. The crops selected for intercropping were Maize [Zea mays L.] (Cereal Crop), Chilli [Capsicum annuum L.] (Spices or Cash Crop), Okra [Abelmoschus esculentus L.] (Vegetable Crop) and Pigeon Pea [Cajanus cajan L.] (Leguminous or Pulses) and as cultivated as duration of one season crops (i.e. 9 months). The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 4 replications. The difference among the treatments on the yield of ginger was found to be non-significant. However, among all the treatments, yield from ginger and maize combination was highest at 22.7 kg followed by control i.e. ginger as a mono crop. The lowest yield was obtained from ginger with pigeon pea. The number of tillers/ clump and plant height was found to be significant. The highest number of tillers/ clump at 16.0 was in ginger and maize combination and lowest at 10.3 in ginger and pigeon pea combination. The height of the plant was highest at 70.0 cm in ginger and pigeon pea combination. The total return of ginger and companion crop was calculated at a recent market price. The total return was highest in ginger and okra combination at Rs. 3587 followed by ginger and maize combination at Rs. 3291.5. The lowest return was obtained from ginger (control) at Rs. 756.

EFFECTIVENESS OF SOME CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PESTICIDES AGAINST Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky).

Aakash Adhikari

The study on “Effectiveness of some chemical and biological pesticides against S. zeamais” was carried out at National Entomology Research Center, NARC, Khumaltar, and Lalitpur. This study was carried out to find the residual effect of the pesticides on S. zeamais mortality. Each pesticide was applied in 3 concentrations: Emmamectin Benzoate @ 0.3ml/ltr, @0.1ml/ltr and @0.6ml/ltr, Neem @ 5ml/ltr, @2.5ml/ltr and @10ml/ltr, Chloropyrifos (50%) + Cypermethrin (5%) @ 1.5ml/ltr, @0.75ml/ltr and @3ml/ltr; and Malathion @ 2ml/ltr, @1ml/ltr and 4ml/ltr. The residue of pesticide on weevil mortality was seen the highest on Chloropyrifos (50%) + Cypermethrin (5%) till the 87^th Day and was least on Neem even on the 1^st day of observation. The mortality % was highest (100%) on Chloropyrifos (50%) + Cypermethrin (5%) and Malathion and was lowest (0%) on Neem. The maximum weight loss was observed on Neem @2.5ml/ltr which was 9.4% whereas, minimum wt. loss was observed on Chloropyrifos (50%) + Cypermethrin (5%) @ 3ml/ltr which was 0.25% of the total grain weight. The maximum percent of damaged grain was observed on Neem which was 100% while the minimum percent of damaged grain was observed on Chloropyrifos (50%) + Cypermethrin (5%) @1.5ml/ltr which was 11.21% of the total grain. No weevil progeny emerged from Chloropyrifos (50%) + Cypermethrin (5%) @1.5ml/ltr treated seeds whereas the maximum number of progeny emerged from Neem @2.5ml/ltr treated seeds which were 149.67. Out of the 4 pesticides tested on the adult of Sitophilus Zeamais, Chloropyrifos (50%) + Cypermethrin (5%) was found to be most effective while Neem was the least effective.

INTEGRATED USE OF IMPROVED FARMYARD MANURE AND CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS ON SOIL PROPERTIES AND RICE PRODUCTIVITY ON SANDY LOAM SOIL

SARITA LAMICHHANE

A field experiment on “Integrated use of improved farmyard manure and chemical fertilizers on soil properties and rice productivity on sandy loam soil” was conducted at farmer’s field to assess the combined effect of improved farmyard manure and chemical fertilizers on soil properties, straw and grain yield of rice at Rambagh, Chitwan Nepal during June to November 2019. The field experiment was set up in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with seven different nutrient management strategies and four replications. The rice variety used was Ram Dhan. The effect of chemical fertilizers and improved farmyard manure was found significant on yield attributing characters of rice. Significantly higher straw yield ( 4,758.25 kg ha^-1) and grain yield (3,453.69 kg ha^-1) were recorded in HCF + HMPR followed by straw yield at CF (4389.53kgha^-1) and HCF + HMNR (4389.00 kg ha^-1) and grain yield at HCF+HMNR (3225.78 kg ha^-1) and CF (3069.06 kg ha^-1) which were comparable to each other. Similarly, the effect of chemical fertilizers and improved farmyard manure on soil pH, soil organic carbon, and available potassium were significant while nonsignificant on bulk density, soil Nitrogen, and available Phosphorus. Further, a significantly higher soil pH value of 6.58 at a depth of 0-15 cm was recorded in MPR. Similarly significantly higher available soil organic carbon (34.68 ton ha^-1), higher available soil Nitrogen (1.24 ton ha^-1), higher available soil Phosphorus (39.57 kg ha^-1) at depth of 0-15 was recorded from treatment MPR and significantly higher available soil Potassium was observed from MPR (216.012 kg ha^-1) at depth of 0-15 cm. The highest rice and straw yield resulted from the combined application (HCF + HMPR) whereas the sole application of MPR improved soil fertility and chemical properties. Thus, it is suggested to the rice growers that combined application of (HCF + HMPR) ensured for optimum stable productivity of rice.

the SHELF-LIFE DETERMINATION OF SMOKED FISH USING DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS

Chinwendu Njideka Ozoh

Twenty frozen fishes of different species which include sardine, mackerel, catfish and panla were purchased from four different markets in Awka, five each. The frozen fishes were taken to fishery department of Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu for smoking; the fishes were aseptically smoked using traditional kiln and oven drying method. The aseptically smoked fishes were packaged in five different packaging materials produced in the laboratory namely; Polyethylene (PP) it serves as control, PCP, PCDP, PFP and ATCP the samples were packaged in triplicate and stored at room temperature for 30days. Thickness, water and oil absorption rates of the packaging materials were determined using standard methods. The shelf life of the packaged samples were determined in which the microbial load, sensory evaluation and proximate analysis were determined at interval of 0day, 3^rd day, 7^th day,21day and 30^th day of storage period. Sensory evaluation was evaluated by 10 panelists using 9 point hedonic scale. The isolated organisms are Bacillus spp, Enterobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Micrococcus spp. the fungi isolated are Aspergillus fumigate, Aspergillus oryzae, Fusarium spp. Mucor, Rhizopus sp.and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. At 0day no organism was isolated from fish samples expect in smoked and oven dried panla fish. Their TVC ranges from 0.2x10²-0.8x10², on 3^rd day the TVC ranges from 0.9x10²-2.2x10³, on 7^th day it ranges from 0.3x10²-5.1x10², at 14day it ranges from 2.5x10²-8.5x10², on 21^st day ranges from 1.2.x10⁶-8.2x10⁶ at 30^th day the TVC/CFU/g ranges from 5.1x10⁶-9. Smoked mackerel and catfish have better taste than oven dried. Oven dried fish have better texture, colour, smell and general acceptability. The thickness, water absorption rate and oil absorption rate of packaging materials ranges from 0.4-3.7, 0.003-0.052 and 0.0001-8.799. PP and ATCP has the best sensory rating. Proper packaging of smoked fish can extend the keeping quality of the product.

A STUDY ON RESEARCH WORKS AND FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS OF POST-GRADUATE PROGRAM AT PATHOLOGY DEPARTMENT, IAAS, RAMPUR, CHITWAN, NEPAL

Khuma Kumari Bhusal

The Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS) under Tribhuwan University (TU) has been carrying out various disciplinary and system research works through post-graduate students' research and publishing their findings through the M.Sc.Ag and Ph.D. thesis dissertations. Various thesis written by researchers under IAAS were collected and the appraisal of pathological research works on major cereals, vegetable crops, legume crops, oilseed crops and high-value crops along with ideas on management practices was done with the help of a thorough literature review. Data were gathered from IAAS/TU libraries, Rampur Library, Kritipur library, GAASC library and IAAS journals. A total of 68 types of research were conducted at IAAS. It is revealed that major diseases associated with cereals area brown spot of rice, rice blast, yellow rust of wheat, helminthosporium leaf blight of wheat, spot blotch of wheat and leaf blast of finger millet. Similarly, diseases of vegetables include late blight of potato, a white mold of french beans. The major diseases of legumes are wilt of lentil & chickpea, powdery mildew of pea, anthracnose of soybean and those of oilseeds are mainly leaf blights. Large cardamom, greatly known as high- value crop, is found to be suffered from Chirkey Foorkey and leaf blight diseases. Fungal pathogens cause most of the diseases in almost all crops. The management practices at their best results included the use of biological agents along with commonly available fungicides. The study found out a research gap in agricultural pathology as well. It also luminated the future area of research works that is lacking in current research works.

PERSPECTIVE OF OLIVE FARMING AT BAJURA, NEPAL: MAIN OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES.

Bikas Basnet

Olive crop farming is getting popular in western higher altitude districts of Nepal, economically, and socially as a sustainable source of rural income and employment. Our survey is beneficial in determining the primary constraints and opportunities of Olive (Olea europaea) in Nepal's Bajura district.75 olive growers are randomly selected through the Raosoft sample calculator and a survey have performed. The design of the survey is a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and 2 focus group discussions through descriptive statistical analysis for problem and prospects ranking is done. Chi-square test, t-test, and a linear regression model are used for quantitative data analysis. Our study shows land holding capacity of more than half of olive growers is less than 5 Ropani, sixty-four percent of farmers are lacking training on organic farming and engaging in olive farming from 5 to 15 years through conventional style, lacks of quality planting materials, olive specific research on pest and diseases, etc. The promoted factor for olive cultivation is comparative advantage, increasing demand, high export potential, subsidies and training programs in the small area, etc. our study help researchers and policymaker to visualize the problem and prospects for making a strong foundation for economic status improvement through commercial olive farming in Bajura, Nepal.

Reduction in use of herbicides by combining aqueous extract of grass pea for weed management and yield of wheat

Uttam Kumer Sarker — 2022-03-25

Nowadays, the increasing costs in the agricultural sector, increasing public concern about the widespread use of herbicides and the development non-chemical methods of weed control programs are alerting management. In this regard, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of aqueous extract of grass pea residues on weed management and crop performance of wheat. The experiment was comprised of three varieties of wheat viz., BARI Gom-30, BARI Gom-31, BARI Gom-32 and six different levels of treatments such as no weeding, recommended dose of herbicide, aqueous extraction of grass pea, 90% recommended dose + aqueous extraction of grass pea,80% recommended dose + aqueous extraction of grass pea, 70% recommended dose +aqueous extraction of grass pea, 60% recommended dose + aqueous extraction of grass pea. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population, weed dry weight and weed control efficacy were significantly influenced by aqueous extract of grass pea crop residues and varieties. The highest numbers of tillers hill^-1, numbers of grains spike^-1, 1000 grain weight and grain yield were observed where recommended dose of herbicide was used followed by the application of 90% recommended dose +aqueous extraction of grass pea. BARI Gom-31along with 90% recommended dose +aqueous extraction of grass pea produced the highest grain and straw yield among the treatment combination. Therefore, aqueous extract of grass pea crop residues might be used as an alternative way for weed management in effective and sustainable crop production.

First record of the Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) from Sundarban Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India

Souryadeep Mukherjee — 2022-03-25

This is the first occurrence report of Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) from Sundarban Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India. A Great Crested Grebe was observed at a river in the Sajnekhali Wildlife Sanctuary, while conducting the annual biodiversity survey within the Sundarban Tiger Reserve in November 2020. The species is a winter migrant to mostly man-made reservoirs at the northern districts of the state, and compared to the previous records, this is the southernmost occurrence report from West Bengal. The discovery of Podiceps cristatus at an undisturbed and favorable habitat inside a well-protected mangrove ecosystem within the Sundarban Tiger Reserve may prove significantly informative for the possible range extension and future conservation approaches of the species.

Effect of biochar and nitrogen on soil characteristics, growth and yield of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) at Paklihawa, Rupandehi condition of Nepal

R. Pathak — 2022-06-25

An experiment on effect of biochar and nitrogen on soil characteristics, growth and yield of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) was conducted at Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Paklihawa, Rupandehi, from November 2019 to February 2020. The experiment was laid in Randomized Complete Block Design with two factors: nitrogen and biochar, each factor having four levels (biochar: 0 t/ha, 5 t/ha, 10 t/ha and 15 t/ha and nitrogen: 0 kg/ha, 50 kg/ha, 100 kg/ha, 200 kg/ha), resulting in sixteen treatment combinations. Biochar application was found to be effective in improving soil bulk density, pH, soil organic matter and soil nitrogen and potassium content. Application of nitrogen fertilizer (200 kg/ha) and biochar (15 t/ha) alone, and in combination, showed significantly higher root dry matter (15.83 gm, 16.63 gm and 20.57 gm), biological yield (80 t/ha, 63.75 t/ha, and 95.75) and root yield (26.74 t/ha, 24.06 t/ha and 30.32 t/ha). In comparison to the sole effects of the highest dose of nitrogen fertilizer (200 kg/ha) and the highest dose of biochar (15 t/ha), their combined application showed the increased yield in radish root by 13.38% and 26.01%, respectively, indicating that the combined effect of biochar and nitrogen is more productive for the growth and yield in radish crop as compared to the sole effect of nitrogen and biochar.

Effect of seasonal variations on the physicochemical characteristics of spring water in Oji River LGA, Enugu State Nigeria

Elochukwu Chidubem Sunday Okoye — 2022-03-25

This study was conducted to determine the effect of seasonal variations on the physicochemical characteristics of spring water samples in Oji River Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Water samples were collected in sterile plastic water containers at the point of discharge during the dry and wet seasons and analyzed physicochemically using the standard methods for the examination of water and wastewater. The results showed that the colour (7-14.2 TCU); pH (7.18-8.4); temperature (24.6-28.1 ^oC); electrical conductivity in wet season (128.5-285.6 µs/cm); total dissolved solids (114.7-401 mg/L); total suspended solids (101.8-423.6 mg/L); total hardness (58-255 mg/L); total acidity (3.55-19.5 mg/L); total alkalinity (9.2-47 mg/L); biological oxygen demand (1.70-3.28 mg/L); nitrate (0.73-2.23 mg/L); ammonium in wet season (0.18-0.34 mg/L); zinc (0.011-0.085 mg/L); mercury (0.001-0.005 mg/L); copper (0.002-1.008 mg/L) and iron (0.031-0.318 mg/L) of water were within the WHO standard for drinking water quality while the phosphate (0.14-1.08 mg/L), lead (0.013-0.098 mg/L) and ammonium in dry season (0.48-0.75 mg/L) levels were not found within the prescribed limit of WHO drinking water standards. Therefore, this investigation indicated that the spring water is unfit for drinking without adequate treatment. Liming, boiling and ozonation treatment techniques are recommended for the treatment of water.

Evaluating the parameters influencing agricultural productivity due to the limitations of smartphone-related knowledge among farmers

Prodipto Bishnu Angon — 2022-03-25

The use of smartphones has improved individuals significantly in this age of information technology. Yet farmers cannot use this smartphone due to a lack of proper knowledge. Where smartphones could easily be used by farmers to solve their agricultural problems. The aims of the study to improve the daily life of a farmer as well as to gain skills in the use of smart phones. Nine characters have been selected to find out the relation between knowledge of farmers' use of smartphones in agriculture. The data are collected through interviews from 128 farm families from Mymensingh of Bangladesh. A semi-structured questionnaire is distributed for collecting data. Those data were pre-arranged and categorized by using M.S. Excel. Spearman's Rank Order were used to create correlations among the characteristics of farmers. Among the selected farmers 56% have low knowledge and only 3% of farmers have high knowledge about the use of smartphones in the agricultural sector. Among nine characters ages and firm experience have a strong negative significant correlation (-0.548* and -0.541*, respectively). On the other hand, extension media interaction has a strong positive relationship (0.588*). From this output, farmers will be able to gain a complete understanding of smartphones to solve the agricultural problems with proper training and experience.

A review on comparative effect of chemicals and botanicals in management of brown spot diseases of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Monika Parajuli — 2022-03-25

Brown spot of rice is a fungal disease caused by either Bipolaris oryzae, Helminthosporium oryzae or Drechslera oryzae species, which is found to be a major problem eventually causing sustainable losses both in quality and quantity. The pathogen after infection shows the symptoms on the leaves, panicles, glumes, and grain causing first as small, circular, and dark brown to purple-brown spots and fully developed lesions are circular to oval with a light brown to gray center, surrounded by a reddish-brown margin and ultimately killing the leaf. We have collected our information from secondary sources. In this review article, we have discussed the effects of bio-agents and chemicals and their comparative efficacy. Fungicides like: propiconazole, Carbendazim, Mancozeb, Hexaconazole, Cabendazim, Bion, Amistar, Tilt etc. are discussed which showed diverse performance on the diseases brown spot of rice. Extracts from the plant parts like roots, stem, leaves etc. are comparatively analyzed and studied that effected on mycelial growth and spore germination of Bipolaris pathogen. The plant components with phenolic structures like carvacrol, eugenol, and thymol are found to be highly active against the pathogen. The extracts of plants like Azadirachta indica, Nerium oleander, Curcuma longa, S. indicum, Cymbopogon citratus etc. are found suitable against brown spot in rice. Chemical fungicides were found to have more inhibition rate against the pathogen, even up to 100%. Although being eco-friendly, plant extracts were recorded to be less effective in comparison to chemical fungicides for suppressing plant pathogen. This article promotes the use of plant extracts for human health and environmental benefits over the use of chemicals for the control of plant diseases.

Aquaponics a modern approach for integrated farming and wise utilization of components for sustainability of food security: A review

Shreejana K.C — 2022-03-25

Aquaponics is the sustainable approaches of present day’s world for raising fish species along with vegetables in a symbiotic association for sustainable food production. People are facing food crisis not only because of the adverse environmental condition but also due to unbalance environment population ratio. That is the main reason why the entire world is more concerned about the production of more food for security and sustainability. Present day’s modern farming system mainly focus on the productivity increasing technology and in due course individual are utilizing more chemical compounds that result in the degradation of soil. It shows great impact on ecological environment. Most of the cultivable land is also turned out as a site of construction which reduces the cultivable land on earth and ultimately arising the food insecurity. In such a circumstance a new approach of aquaponics might be beneficial where water solely covers the two third of the total mass. Aquaponics is a soilless culture which gained immense popularity as it focuses on organic production of vegetables within a single recirculating aquaponics system. Along with the sustainability it also emphasis economic efficacy and enhancement of productivity. It can be grown used on non-arable lands such as deserts, degraded soil or salty, sandy islands. So, it can integrate livelihood strategies to secure food and small incomes for landless and poor households.

MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF FISH SPECIES IN COAST OF GHANA, WEST AFRICA

Samuel Amponsah

The study aimed at applying multivariate techniques in determining the changes in abundance and distribution of fish species in the coast of Ahanta West, Ghana. The abundance data was analyzed using cluster analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and SIMPER analysis in PRIMER v6 software. The dendrogram identified three main groups, at 55% similarity. The identified assemblages were spatially distinct however, the average similarities at Busua and Akwidaa were driven by the following top four species: Pteroscion peli, Galeoides decadactylus, Pseudotolithus senegalensis and Brachydeuterus auritus in order of percentage contribution.

Livelihood assets and food consumption status of riverbank erosion hazard people in a selected area of Bangladesh

Toma Chowdhury — 2022-03-25

Riverbank erosion is a major threat to Bangladesh refers to an endemic and recurrent natural hazard of our country. The study was conducted to identify the socioeconomic characteristics, find out the root causes of riverbank erosion, determine the livelihood assets and measure the calorie intake level of the riverine people. Primary data were collected from Jamalpur district in Bangladesh. The DFID approaches of livelihood and the consumption data of riverine households of seven days was measured by per person per day calorie intake level. The findings revealed that 72% of the respondents belonged to the age up to 60 years, 33.33% respondents’ education level was primary, 36% of the respondents’ primary occupation was agriculture, and 40% respondents had annual household income more than Tk. 100000 (US$ 1556.60). Most of the households identified flood, heavy rainfall, and stream of current as the main cause of riverbank erosion. Overall, human assets were in good position. About 54% respondents used leased land for their cultivation and 37.33% respondents had cash in hand. About 80% of the respondents belonged to the poor and their calorie intake level was < 2122 K. Cal. The Water Development Board of Bangladesh needs more attention to riverine people for improvement of their livelihood and food security status.

Good agricultural practices in mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco); Perception and factors affecting awareness among farmers in Gulmi, Nepal

Samikshya Sedhai — 2022-06-25

Citrus, in general, and mandarin, in particular, has long been one of Nepal's most important fruit crops. However, in recent years, a lack of good cultivation procedures and negligence has resulted in a significant reduction in its productivity. The declining situation cannot be controlled without the transfer of science-based knowledge and skills where Good Agricultural Practices have been linked to higher output. A study was carried out in 2020 to assess the perception of farmers towards Good Agricultural Practices and factors affecting awareness of GAP among mandarin growers. Altogether 100 households from Dhurkot and Chhatrakot Rural Municipalities, and Resunga Municipality from Gulmi district, were purposively chosen for the study in the command area of the PMAMP PIU Citrus Zone, and sampling was carried out using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected with the use of a semi-structured questionnaire, entered, and analyzed using SPSS and STATA software. The farmers were categorized into GAP aware and unaware based on the criteria made by the focus group discussion carried out with the leading farmers, mandarin experts, and government agriculture officers. The findings revealed that 39% of the total respondents knew about GAP for mandarin. The entire respondents agreed that GAP-produced fruit has a nicer appearance and better quality and fruits meet national and international standards and enhance exportability of fruits, however, 61.5% of respondents didn’t agree that GAP helps in providing subsidies from governmental organizations. The output of the binary logit model suggested that an increase in participation in training and contact with extension agents has a significant effect on awareness of GAP. Participatory GAP training, regular extension services to smallholding farmers could be beneficial for mandarin farmers leading to commercialization.

Spatial distribution and relative enrichment of some upper-group trace elements in rhizosphere of highly anthropized and rapidly developing tropical environment

Sunday Obalum

Most upper-group (Groups 13-17) trace elements, including micronutrients known for a very thin margin between adequacy and toxicity in the biosphere, are toxic. The concentrations, distribution and relative enrichment were studied of some of these elements at Ikwo, southeastern Nigeria, representing largely disturbed and rapidly evolving ecosystems of the humid tropical region. The study involved the north (N), south (S), east (E) and west (W) zones with pronounced mining/agricultural activities, and a reference central (F) zone. Sampling was from the 0-50-cm soil layer of fallow lands in the dry season. The concentrations of the trace elements were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy. Enrichment factor was calculated as the ratio of each element to that of Fe (serving as a reference element) in the soil. The F- and N-zones had the highest and lowest concentrations (21.00-10.75, 1.83-0.93, 10.90-5.58, 4.05-2.05, 4.97-2.54, 2.20-1.12, 17.75-9.09, 26.74-13.69, 4.41-2.26 and 1.89-0.96 mg kg^–1, respectively for Se, As, B, Al, Si, S, Sn, Sb, I and Br), implying that mining/agricultural activities rather reduced the accumulation of these elements in the rhizosphere. Enrichment factors mostly indicated moderate-to-insignificant concentrations in the soils. Generally, the trace elements showed similar distribution and enrichment patterns across the five zones, implying that the mining/agricultural activities had not led to their accumulation in the agroecosystem. Thus, at their current modes and intensities in the humid tropics, mining/agricultural activities apparently may not constitute any ecological risks due to these trace elements.

Socio-economic analysis of ginger production in Terhathum district, Province no. 1, Nepal

Aastha Adhikari — 2022-03-25

Terhathum is one of the major ginger-producing districts in Nepal. This study with the objective of analyzing the socio-economic status of ginger growing farmers in the Terhathum district investigates the production economics of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rose.) and the socioeconomic status of ginger producing farmers. The semi-structured interview schedule was administered to interview randomly selected commercial ginger-producing households in Myanglung municipality, Phedap rural municipality, and Menchhayayem rural municipality with 35, 39, and 17 respondents from each of the locations respectively. The overall productivity of ginger in the study area was found to be 19.3 MT/ha. The major cost-share for ginger production was found to be held by rhizomes used in the plantation (40.01%). The results indicated that ginger production was a profitable enterprise in the study area with an average B: C ratio of 3.77. The Cobb-Douglas production function indicated that ginger production exhibit increasing returns to scale at a decreasing rate. Rhizome quantity and amount of organic manure applied in the field played a major role in increasing the gross margin of the production. The goodness of fit was 52.3% with a return to scale of 0.714. Indexing technique identified incidence of diseases and pests and the instability of price as the major problems associated with production and trade of ginger. Overall, the study revealed that ginger production was a profitable and potential agriculture enterprise for the study area.

Field screening of seven genotypes of maize against Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) at Gokuleshwor, Baitadi.

Rojina Sapkota

The main aim of this study was to know the genotype of maize that would be least affected by the fall armyworm infestation. The Field screening of seven genotypes of maize namely Arun-2, Arun-4, Manakamana, Posilo makai, Local seto makai, Rampur composite and Deuti against Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) were carried out at the research farm of Entomology section, Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College, Baitadi with RCBD design. Each genotype was assigned as a treatment and each were replicated three times. Density of pest was recorded on respective days. With the variation in temperature and rainfall their infestation level was fluctuating. None of the seven genotypes were found to be completely resistant to Fall armyworm however their population density varied according to genotype. During field observation, population of Fall armyworm larvae was found highest at 60 DAS on genotype Arun-2 and Deuti, 75 DAS on genotype Arun-2, Arun-4 and Rampur composite and lowest population was observed at 30 DAS on genotype Local seto makai, 45 DAS on genotype Deuti. Similarly, maximum foliar damage intensity was observed at 60 DAS on genotype Manakamana and Local seto makai, 75 DAS on genotype Manakamana and Local seto makai and minimum intensity of foliar damage was observed at 30 DAS on Arun-4, 45 DAS on genotype Arun-2. Highest yield was obtained from genotype Rampur composite (6.43 Mt/hac) and lowest yield was obtained from Deuti (2.66 Mt/hac).

Impacts Of Sowing Time On Wheat In Nepal

Babita Bastakoti

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) belonging to the family Poaceae is the most important cereal crop in Nepal as well as globally as it contributes a major portion to the world food supply. Similarly, it is the third most cultivated cereal crop in Nepal in terms of production and area. But due to the impact of time of sowing, the severe loss has been reported and been a serious threat to its growth, development, and productivity in Nepalese agriculture.

Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria - Mechanisms, Benefits and Constraints

Md Shafiul Islam Rion

Rising population growth and decreasing cultivable land are putting food production under challenge since last century. Chemical fertilizers and hybrid crop varieties are two supports till now that have helped the agriculturists and farmers ensure the most output from cultivable lands. But concerns are rising as indiscriminate application of agrochemicals is threatening the ecological balance and sustainability of food production. Thus, biofertilization are now in focus to replace chemical ones. Use of living or dormant microorganisms are going to be the alternative of chemical fertilizers in near future, which is also an environment friendly. Candidates like soil bacteria are a remarkable portion of biofertilizers. Free living rhizobacteria colonize close to plant roots and help in plant growth. These plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have multiple traits from which plants can benefit. They make soil nutrients accessible to plant roots, prevents pathogenic microorganisms, reduce the intensity of different biotic and abiotic stresses. Various physiological and chemical changes are directed by these PGPR to facilitate their host plants with required resources for uninterrupted growth and development. More studies need to be done to make this biofertilization technology a permanent trend in agriculture.

Effects of industrial effluents on growth and heavy metals accumulation in cabbage in Bangladesh

Abu Rashed Md. Maukeeb — 2022-03-25

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of industrial effluents on cabbage growth and heavy metal accumulation. Untreated effluents were collected from nine dumping sites in Bangladesh's Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chittagong divisions: including Narsingdi, Tongi, Hazaribagh, Alampur, Khadimnagar, Majortilla, Bhatiary, Bayazid bostami, and Sagorika. Pb (2.038 mgl^-1), Cd (0.082 mgl^-1), Ni (0.237 mgl^-1) and Cr (0.172 mgl^-1) concentrations found maximum in Hazaribagh effluents, whereas Fe (7.171 mgl^-1) and Zn (1.938 mgl^-1) were maximum in Khadimnagar. Two pot experiments were carried out in CRD with three replications. Untreated effluents had a significant influence on cabbage germination and growth in the early stages. Seed germination was reduced by 19.78% when Khadimnagar effluents were used instead of control. The seedling mortality rate in Khadimnagar effluents was higher (15.56 %), whereas no seedling mortality in the control. Because of the toxicity of heavy metals, shoot length (61.98%) and root length (66.76%), as well as other parameters, were lowered compared to control. The number of leaf plants^-1, leaf length, leaf width, fresh weight, and dried weight were all highest in the control, while they were lowest when Khadimnagar effluents used as irrigation. The transfer factor values of several heavy metals (Pb-0.442, Cd-0.400, Ni-0.411, Cr-0.378, Fe-26.317, and Zn-22.951) were maximum when using effluents from Khadimnagar and Hazaribagh. Finally, the overall findings suggest that heavy metals including Pb, Cd, Ni, Cr, Fe, and Zn were significantly contaminated in Khadimnagar and Hazaribagh, with negative effects on cabbage growth and heavy metal accumulation in foodstuffs, potentially posing a health risk.

Determinants of dairy producers market participation: Empirical evidence from Southwestern Ethiopia

Kassa Tarekegn

Though Bench Sheko and Sheka zones have great potential for dairy production in Ethiopia, the majority of dairy producers’ could not get benefit from the sector in a sustainable way due to the low market participation problem. Hence, this study was projected to identify the factors that determine the dairy producers’ market participation in Southwestern Ethiopia. Data from 160 sampled dairy producers were employed and analyzed by the probit model. The econometric model result shows the type of dairy breed, currently owned dairy cows’ size, number of children below six years, distance from the nearest market, and utilization of improved livestock feeds are the significant factors determining the likelihood of dairy market participation in the study area. Therefore, demonstrations of improved livestock breed through supplying improved bulls and artificial insemination technologies, demonstration of improved livestock forages and concentrates through training, and organizing dairy marketing cooperative and dairy products collection centers were suggested to improve the market participation in the study area.

Effect of integrated management on purple blotch (Alternaria porri (Ellis) Cif.) progression and bulb yield of onion at Arba Minch in Southern Ethiopia

Getachew Gudero Mengesha — 2022-03-25

A field experiment was conducted at Arba Minch area, southern Ethiopia during the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons to determine the integrated effects of varieties and fungicide spray frequencies on onion purple blotch (PB) epidemics, bulb yields, and economic returns. Fifteen treatment combinations consisting of three onion varieties and five fungicide spray frequencies were arranged in a factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Integrating varieties with fungicide spray frequencies significantly reduced onion PB epidemics and increased bulb yields and economic returns. Due to four times spray of ridomil gold (RG) at 14-day interval, PB severities as low as 35.7, 42.2, and 58.9% were recorded on Nasik-Red, Bombay-Red, and Adama-Red varieties, respectively. The lowest area under the disease progress curve of 625.3, 706.7, and 1131.1%-days was also recorded on Nasik-Red, Bombay-Red, and Adama-Red varieties, respectively, due to four sprays of RG at a 14-day interval. Three times spray of RG at 10-day interval gave the highest bulb yields of 33.4, 38.9, and 23.7 t ha^-1 on Nasik-Red, Bombay-Red, and Adama-Red varieties, respectively. The results showed the existence of variability in onion genetic resistance that was complemented by fungicide spray frequencies against PB epidemics to increase bulb yields. The use of Bombay-Red variety along with three and four-time spray frequency of RG was found to be the most effective option in reducing PB epidemics and increasing onion bulb yields. However, the use of Bombay-Red variety along with three-time spray frequency of RG could be recommended, because of its highest economic returns, to farmers in the study areas and elsewhere with similar agro-ecologies to manage PB and sustain onion production and productivity in the country.

Screening of sweet potato feathery mottle virus resistant sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L., Lam.) cultivars in Kebbi State, Nigeria

Abdulrahman Musa — 2022-03-25

Sweet potato is a food security crop because of its ability to withstand adverse climatic conditions. This security, however, is being threaten by viral diseases and use of resistant cultivars remain the best management. This research was conducted to screen cultivars of sweet potato against sweet potato feathery mottle virus (SPFMV) infection. The treatments consisted of five cultivars coded as CV1, CV2, CV3, CV4 and CV5, respectively. The asymptomatic experimental plants were established, maintained under screen house conditions and graft-inoculated using infected vines which were tested SPFMV positive using both Double Antibody Sandwich Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (DAS-ELISA) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated three times. Results obtained from disease incidence and symptom severity indicated that there was significant difference (P <0.05) among cultivars in their reaction to SPFMV infection. CV2 had the highest mean disease incidence (60.67%) while, CV3 had the lowest mean disease incidence (36.67%). CV1, CV3, and CV5 have the same lowest mean symptom severity score of 2.00 while, CV2 had the highest mean severity score of 4.00. Based on the reaction of the cultivars after inoculation, it could be concluded that, all the cultivars screened were susceptible to SPFMV but CV1, CV3 and CV4 cultivars have some degree of resistance to SPFMV infection and were therefore recommended for use by the farmers in the study area. This is the first research that screened sweet potato cultivars for resistance to SPFMV in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

A. FIBER YIELD AND ITS PROPERTIES STUDY ON DHAINCHA PLANT

Md. Zakir Hossain Hossain

A study was conducted on Dhaincha (Sesbaniaaculeata) plant at the workshop of Farm Power and Machinery Department, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The main objective of the study was to study of the fiber yield and its properties on dhaincha plant. Fermentation, mechanical extraction method (Scraping for leaf fiber) was conducted to extracted fiber from plant. The fiber properties like tensile strength, % elongation at break and diameter of fiber decreased with the increase of period of different fermentation methods. Dhaincha plant contained, average 3.74% fiber (green wet basis) and 5.83% (dry stick basis); average 63.81% stick; fiber-wood ratio was 0.006; and fiber yield/plant 12.26 gm. The estimated fiber production of Dhaincha was 1900 kg/ha.

The EFFECT OF TRASH FISH REPLACEMENT WITH FORMULATED FEED ON THE GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF MUD CRAB (Scylla serrata) FATTENING

Tharindu Trishan Darshana Senarathna Dapana Durage

Using of trash fish and marine resources for aquaculture feed formulation has made several sustainability issues in the industry. In the present study, three types of formulated dry pellet feed which were developed using shrimp head meal prepared using the shrimp processing wastes, and fish meal prepared using fishery by catches as the main source of protein were evaluated for mud crab (Scylla serrata) fattening. Trash fish were used as the control feed. Crabs (60.30 g ± 9.76) were selected for the experiment and stocked in vertical culture racks. Four repetitive feeding modes with formulated feed were done and treatment was randomly assigned to each test unit. All crabs were fed with 8% of their body weight twice per day for 30 days. Feed 02 which was formulated with 10% of fish meal and 39% of shrimp head meal had the best growth response. Also, the meat of the crabs fed with feed 02 had a high level of crude protein (70.01%) than other formulated and control feed. In contrast, the control feed had the best feeding efficiency, and protein efficiency over the formulated feed. Furthermore, the trash fish was profitable than the developed feeds. But the sense of convenience, water quality management, and the feasibility of using in any situation are high with the formulated dry pellets. Therefore, dry pellet feed is preferred over the wet feed for fattening mud crabs without facing issues related to the poor availability of trash fish and disease transmissions through fresh trash fish.

Cereal production trends, nutrient use efficiency and its management practices in agriculture: A review

Solomon Yokamo — 2022-03-25

Boosting global food production to meet the escalating demand without distressing the environment is a major challenge of our time. In the present review study, a-59 years global cereal production and fertilizer use trends, nutrients use efficiency (NUE) and some of its management approaches in agriculture were evaluated. Accordingly, the world cereal production increased by 3.4-fold (876.9 to 2979 Mt) from 1961 to 2019, whereas the area of production increased moderately by 1.11 folds. The chemical N, P₂O₅, and K₂O fertilizer consumption in cereal crop production were increased by 9.45 folds (from 6.9 to 65.2 Mt), 4-fold (from 6.6 to 26.3 Mt), and 4.34-fold (from 5.2 to 22.6 Mt), respectively. The estimated world cereal N, P, and K use efficiency is 33%, 16%, and 19%, respectively. The unaccounted 65% of N, 84% of P and 81% of K fertilizer was either remained in the soil or lost to the environment through volatilization, leaching, and run-offs leading to higher environmental and economic costs. Therefore, improving NUE is a crucial step to enhance crop yields, tackle environmental pollution, reduce production costs. Several NUE management approaches were identified such as soil management (use of organic inputs, 4R nutrient stewardship, adoption of modified fertilizer, root-zone nutrient management, etc.), plant management (growing nutrient use efficient cultivars, crop rotation, and so on), integrated soil-crop system management (ISSM), and application of precision agriculture. However, no single management approach solely resulted in higher NUE but rather the combination. Hence this could be applied in agricultural production to improve yield and NUE while minimizing environmental degradation.

A review of the water quality indices of riverine ecosystem, Bangladesh

Nishat Tasnim — 2022-03-25

Rivers have been the most important freshwater resource, and our ancient civilizations have flourished along the banks of rivers. River water finds multiple uses like agriculture, industry, transportation, aquaculture, and public water supply. Natural waters are being contaminated as the quality of water is being affected by anthropogenic activities, in developing countries like Bangladesh. From the point of view, the physicochemical parameters (water temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, DO, BOD, alkalinity, total hardness, nitrate) of seventeen rivers in Bangladesh were reviewed from January 2021 to June 2021. The water quality parameters of some rivers were found to be far above the suitable limits, which is dangerous for human health, agriculture, and fisheries. It is therefore necessary to check the water quality at regular interval of time to conserve the natural ecosystem of the rivers of Bangladesh. Furthermore, this study would help to create and develop awareness among the people to help maintain the quality of the river waters.

A review on maize-finger millet relay cropping in hills of Nepal: Prospects and constraints

Dipika Parajulee — 2021-12-25

Maize (Zea mays) and Finger millet (Elusine corocana) are two key staple crops grown in the hills of Nepal. These crops are planted in a relay intercropping system developed by farmers since the dawn of time. The unique example of cereal-cereal intercropping with its cropping system and cropping pattern at different altitudes is reviewed along with the yield comparison of direct-seeded and transplanted finger millet with maize. Relay cropping is the planting of second crop in the same land area before the harvest of first crop with the goal of higher productivity by sharing the available resources. Considerable research has been done on maize and millet but there has been a limited approach to their cropping system. This paper reviews the existing system of cropping, its prospects, and its constraints. The prospects of maize/finger millet cultivation are pronounced in the form of yield increment, economic and efficient use of available resources, insurance against crop failure, and reduced insect, pest, and weed incidence. Although this cropping system has benefits, it exhibits limitations as well which are competition between crops, lack of suitable varieties, labor-intensive system, and soil-nutrient loss. As maize and finger millet are the main food crops in hilly terrain, it is urged to provide the focus and encouragement regarding their sustainable and modern approaches by developing and disseminating crop growing and management technologies.

High yield and pest resistant genotypes of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) for cultivation in Umudike, Southeastern, Nigeria

J. I. Ulasi — 2021-12-25

Newly developed progenies of sweet potato were evaluated to identify promising genotypes with high storage root yield, dry matter, starch content and susceptibility to Cylas spp. at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria during the 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons to evaluate variation among crosses of different sweet potato families, namely: LigriXFaara (17), LigriXApomoen (9) and LigrixSauti (8), including two check varieties (Umuspo 3 and TIS 87/0087). Analysis of variance, correlation and principal component analysis were employed for data analysis. In this study, four genotypes; LigriXFaara/3 (16.02t/ha), LigriXFaara/2 (14.67t/ha), LigriXFaara/1 (13.66t/ha) and LigriXFaara/6 (10.33t/ha) produced higher fresh storage root yield than the national check (TIS 87/0087). Four genotypes recorded starch content above 50mg100-1; LigriXApomoden/1 (69.71mg100-1), LigriXApomoden/3 (62.98mg100-1), LigriXApomoden/2 (60.89mg100-1), LigriXApomoden/4 (57.53 mg100-1). Among the thirty-four genotypes evaluated, twenty-nine genotypes were susceptible to the attack of C. puncticollis. LigriXFaara/1 recorded the highest attack of C. puncticollis, followed by LigriXApomoden/5, LigriXFaara/4, LigriXApomoden/3, LigriXSauti/3, LigriXFarra/5 while five genotypes; LigriXFaara/4, LigriXFaara/5, LigriXSauti/5, LigriXFaara/8, LigriXFaara/7 and LigriXFaara/14 did not show any sign of vulnerability of C. puncticollis. Promising genotypes that recorded high yield, dry matter and resistance to Cylas spp. could be subjected to advanced yield trail and incorporated into further breeding program.

Production and marketing of turmeric (Curcuma longa) in Sunsari District, Nepal

Smriti Baral — 2021-12-25

Turmeric is a popular spice in Nepalese households and a potential cash crop in the country's tropical areas; yet, due to limited study on production technologies and marketing channels, Nepalese farmers have struggled to earn a reasonable return from its production. For this study, 100 turmeric producers were selected by using simple random sampling technique from total turmeric growing population registered in PMAMP at Barahakshetra Municipality of the district. The research was carried out during January to May. Primary data were collected through field, survey, FGD, and KII while a literature review was carried out as the source of secondary data. Information collected from the field survey were coded, tabulated, and analyzed by using the statistical software of MS Excel 2010 and SPSS V26.0. It was found that majority of the respondent farmers had agriculture as their primary occupation. The average household turmeric area was 0.43 ha. The labor cost contributed 45.46% for the of cultivation with an average cost of cultivation pf NRs.110.63 per kg for dried turmeric. Moreover, the gross return of Rs.270057 per hectare and the BCR 1.35, indicate that turmeric farming is profitable. The average productivity of dry turmeric in the study area was 1800 kg per hectare. Insufficient technical services and low market price of the turmeric were main production and marketing problem faced by turmeric producing community This study suggests the adoption of innovative technology for farming, government intervention in price fixing and replacement of local seed by improved seed.

Effect of foliar spray of micronutrients and hormones on cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.)

M. Rahman — 2021-12-25

In order to achieve optimal plant growth and production, essential nutrients must be readily available in adequate quantities and in a balanced proportion to give a good yield, especially cauliflower which has health benefits that may not be found in many other plants. For this purpose, this experiment was carried out during the seasons 2020-2021 in the on station of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Khulna under Smallholder Agricultural competitiveness project. Although the treatments showed a positive effect on yield, quality and economics but, T₁ revealed most significant influence on all parameters under study as compared to T₀ (control). For micronutrients and hormone, T₁ treatment produced the highest curd yield (29.99 t ha^-1) and the lowest (17.04 t ha^-1) was control from the varietal effect the highest curd yield was (35.14 t ha^-1) from V₄(It Amazuku 33) and the lowest was (16.21 t ha^-1) from V₅ (BARI Fulcopi-1). In case of combined effect, the highest curd yield (45.16 t ha^-1) was obtained from T₁V₄ and the lowest curd yield (10.27 t ha^-1) from T₀V₁. Therefore, it can be suggested that the highest curd yield and good shape cauliflower curd can be obtained application of Zn 8.83 kg/ha, B 3.5 kg/ha, Ma 8.43 kg/ha and Flora (Hormone) 2 ml/1 L of water. Therefore, foliar application of micronutrients and hormone is suitable way to feed the cauliflower crop to enhance the marketable yield and quality.

Impact of vermicompost based nitrogen management and plant spacing on the performance of short duration transplant Aus rice (cv. Parija)

Shubroto Kumar Sarkar — 2021-12-25

An investigation was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University to inspect the effect of vermicompost based nitrogen management and plant spacing on the yield performance of short duration transplant Aus rice (cv. Parija). The study comprised three spacing viz. 20 cm × 20 cm, 20 cm × 15 cm and 20 cm × 10 cm, and five nitrogen management viz. no nitrogen, 75 kg N ha^-1, 55 kg N ha^-1 + vermicompost @1.25 t ha^-1, 35 kg N ha^-1 + vermicompost @2.5 t ha^-1 and vermicompost @5 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. At harvest, both the spacing of 20 cm × 20 cm and 20 cm × 15 cm produced the tallest plants, the highest number of total tillers hill^-1 and effective tillers hill^-1. The highest grain yield (3.59 t ha^-1) was recorded in 20 cm × 15 cm spacing which was at par with the grain yield (3.52 t ha^-1) in 20 cm × 10 cm spacing. The 20 cm × 10 cm spacing also produced the highest straw yield (4.88 t ha^-1) and biological yield (8.40 t ha^-1). The lowest grain, straw and biological yields were recorded at the wider spacing of 20 cm × 20 cm. In contrast, the highest grain yield (3.79 t ha^-1), straw yield (4.99 t ha^-1) and biological yield (8.79 t ha^-1) were found in 75 kg N ha^-1 which was as good as the yields of 55 kg N ha^-1 N+ vermicompost @1.25 t ha^-1. The highest number of total tillers hill^-1(14.11) and effective tillers hill^-1 (12.67) were found in the interaction effect of 20 cm × 20 cm spacing with 75 kg N ha^-1. The interaction between 20 cm × 15 cm and 55 kg N ha^-1 N+ vermicompost @1.25 t ha^-1gave the highest grain yield (4.58 t ha^-1), straw yield (5.71 t ha^-1) and biological yield (10.29 t ha^-1). The lowest grain yield (2.03 t ha^-1), straw yield (3.49 t ha^-1) and biological yield (5.52 t ha^-1) were found in the interaction between 20 cm × 20 cm and no nitrogen. Therefore, usage of 20 cm × 15 cm spacing fertilized with 55 kg N ha^-1 + vermicompost @1.25 t ha^-1 appeared as the promising practice of transplant Aus rice cv. (Parija) cultivation.

Assessment of vegetable production by adopting climate SMART agriculture technologies in Chormara, Nawalparasi district, Nepal

Sarthak Gaire — 2021-12-25

Vegetable production is an economic booster contributing around 9.71% to total Agricultural Gross Domestic Production. So, the research study was performed under the topic “Assessment of vegetable production adopting climate-smart agriculture technologies in Chormara, Nawalparasi district” from March- April 2021 to assess the production of selected vegetables i.e. Cucumber, Tomato, Bitter Gourd, Sponge Gourd, and Chilly adopting climate-smart agriculture technology among 100 households applying simple random sampling. The study revealed that 96% of the total respondents were being affected directly by the ongoing climate change and to tackle such scenario 88% of the total respondents were adopting climate SMART Agricultural technologies including mulching, drip irrigation, cultivation of vegetables under the semi-protected house, quality seeds, etc. to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change with increased crop production. To enhance the productivity of vegetables and meet the food security of the increasing global population, farmers were integrating organic and synthetic fertilizers to attain the sustainability of soil health. It was found that 76% of the surveyed farmers were going through market hindrances like lack of proper market, fluctuation in price structure, and poor marketing channel suggesting an immediate need for a proper marketing system in the study area. The highest net return of USD 17588.53 per hectare and B:C ratio of 5.88 in tomatoes illustrated economic viability in vegetable production. Although vegetable production and marketing in Chormara seem a profitable business, the study suggests an immediate need for adoption and scaling up of successful CSA practices, its extension and proper implementation along with the provision of effective marketing channel and setting of minimum prices for the vegetable products based on the cost of cultivation that may overcome the farmer’s problems.

Effect of different fertilizer doses on the production of Chaite-5 paddy variety in Dhanusha District, Nepal

Bhushan Adhikari — 2021-12-25

The application of inorganic nutrient sources is necessary for proper agricultural growth that can ensure high quality food production. A field experiment was carried out in Hansapur, Dhanusha from March 2021 to July 2021 to study the effect of different fertilizer doses on the growth and yield of rice. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 7 different treatments following three replications. The treatments were named as T1: Control, T2: RDF (Recommended dose of fertilizers - 100:30:30 kg NPK/ha), T3: Double dose of RDF (200: 60: 60 kg NPK/ha), T4: A half dose of RDF (50: 15: 15 kg NPK/ha), T5: 125% dose of RDF (125: 37.5: 37.5 kg NPK/ha), T6: Locally available Azolla (300 kg/ha), and T7: FYM (6 ton/ha), respectively. Different doses of RDF showed a significant effect on growth, yield, and yield contributing characters of Chaite-5 variety. Results of the study showed that the application of a double dose of RDF (200: 60: 60 kg NPK/ha) gave the maximum yield (9.50 ton/ha). It was also recorded that 125% dose of RDF, recommended dose of fertilizers and FYM gave satisfactory results. Results revealed that the highest plant height, effective tillers/hill, panicle number, panicle length, total spikelet/hill, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, and straw yield were obtained from the use of a double dose of RDF (200: 60: 60 kg NPK/ha). It was observed that yield of rice can be increased substantially with the application of higher doses of nitrogenous fertilizers. Hence, a double dose of fertilizer can be the best supplement for improving growth and yield in rice.

Livelihood pattern and food security of tribal people in a selected area of Bangladesh

Mou Chhanda Saha — 2021-12-25

Asset’s possession and food consumption level of tribal people in Bangladesh express their socioeconomic status. The study was conducted to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics, measure the livelihood assets, and determine the calorie intake level of the sample households. Primary data were collected through field survey using an interview schedule from 60 tribal households. Tabular analysis and capital asset pentagon from DFID livelihood framework were used for data analysis. Household consumption data were converted to per person per day calorie intake level. The major findings of the study were that about 41.67% of the respondents were being 15-29 years of age, 30% respondents’ education was in the secondary level, average family size was 5.81, 40% of the respondents were occupied with agriculture as their primary occupation, average annual income and expenditure were Tk. 258560 (US$3015.28) and Tk. 242373.50 (US$2826.51), respectively. The livelihood assets were moderate. About 83.34% of the respondents belonged to the poor category and rest 16.67% of the respondents belonged to non-poor category. About 98.33% and 96.67% respondents suggested that, if job opportunity increases and ensure proper education; then their socioeconomic improvement will be faster. So, government and other organizations need to come forward to create more employment opportunity and education facilities for improving their livelihood pattern and food security status.

Potential health risks of trace metals in muscle tissue of tilapia and catfish from Mozambican markets

Vedaste Munyeshuri — 2021-12-25

Due to the toxicity of trace metals and the propensity of fishes to bioaccumulate metals in their tissues, we investigated the concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and zinc (Zn) in the muscles of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and catfish (Chrysichthys nigrodidatatus) collected from open markets in Mozambique. Fe and Hg were the most and least bioaccumulated metals in the fishes, respectively. One-way ANOVA showed significant differences between sites for the analytes. Furthermore, we estimated the possible health risks (estimated daily intake (EDI), target hazard quotient (THQ), and maximum allowable consumption rate (CR_lim)) associated with fish consumption. The concentrations of As, Cd, and Pb exceeded the recommended maximum permissible limits (MPL) in fish samples, ranging between 5.65 – 12.7, 1.05 – 12.9, and 1.88 – 6.45 mgkg-1, respectively, whereas values lower than MPL viz. 5.25 – 18.9, ND – 0.033, and 30.8 – 52.3 mgkg-1 were observed for Cu, Hg, and Zn, respectively. Similarly, the EDI (mgkg^-1day^-1) were below the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) with decreasing order: Fe >Zn >Cu >As >Cd >Pb>Hg. However, the THQ (mg kg^-1) was slightly > 1 for As and Cd in some samples. Moreover, the CR_lim (kg day^-1) showed a decreasing order of Hg >Fe >Zn >Pb> Cu >Cd >As. Generally, consumers are susceptible to health hazards associated with As and Cd. Hence, regular toxicological monitoring of the fishes from the study area is imperative.

Bioremediation of artificially crude oil polluted soil of veritas University Abuja using poultry manure

Ozioma L. Ugwu — 2021-12-25

The removal of hydrocarbon compounds from the environment has always been a difficult undertaking for people all over the world. As a result, remedial efforts are required to safeguard the environment as well as to restore agriculture. This study looked at how poultry manure (dung) could help in the bioremediation of Veritas University's intentionally crude oil polluted soil. The physical properties of the soil and total petroleum hydrocarbon content of the crude oil polluted soil were determined, followed by the isolation and identification of microorganisms present in the soil and poultry manure before and after pollution with crude oil. These analyses were done according to standard operating procedures. Within a six-month timeframe, the natural attenuation and poultry manure amendment option for remediating the crude oil-polluted soil were monitored and the residual hydrocarbon content of the polluted soil after remediation evaluated. There was an overall decrease in pH level during the experimental units containing 4 g amendment, 2 g amendment and the untreated polluted soil in the order 8.4 to 7.1, 8.4 to 7.2 and 8.1 to 6.7, respectively. Temperature was within 27oC and 31oC, the treated soil that contained 4 g dung had an initial moisture content of 58%, and 35% after remediation. The hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria isolated were Pseudomonas species, Staphylococcus species, and Bacillus species, while the hydrocarbon utilizing fungi isolated were Aspergillus niger, Fusarium solani and Candida albicans. There was more significant microbial increase in the sample containing 4 g poultry manure treatment than 2 g poultry manure treatment and natural attenuation. Total hydrocarbon quantity significantly decreased after six months with the complete removal of C4, C7, C19 and C37 from the treated sample containing 4 g poultry manure. This indicated that the negative effects of crude oil on the environment can be mitigated by adding poultry manure.

Economic analysis of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivation in Gorkha district of Nepal

Uttam Poudel — 2021-12-25

A study was conducted to analyze the production economics and factors contributing to the gross return of rice production in the Gorkha district of Nepal in 2020, where a rice block was established under the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project (PM-AMP). Altogether, 76 rice-growing farmers were selected as a sample by using a simple random sampling technique. Primary data were collected by using a pre-tested interview schedule, while secondary data were collected by reviewing related literature. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, independent sample t-tests, and Cobb-Douglas production function. The results showed that the average landholding was 0.74 ha and the average area under rice cultivation was 0.52 ha, with a productivity of 3 mt ha^-1. The findings revealed that the cost of rice production for small farmers was significantly higher (NRs. 171466 ha^-1) than that for large farmers (NRs. 132088 ha^-1). The study reveals that investment in rice cultivation was economically viable in the study area because the overall B: C ratio was greater than one (1.17). The production function analysis reveals that a 10% increase in expenditure on seeds, total labor, and nutrients, keeping all other variables constant, could increase the gross return of rice by 2.97%, 2.19%, and 0.62%, respectively. The sum of coefficients was 0.56, reflecting a decreasing return to scale. Thus, a 100% increase in expenditure on variables presented in the model caused a 56% increase in the gross return of rice production. The findings suggest that human and bullock labor needs to be replaced by the use of farm machinery. Hence, the cost of cultivation would be reduced with the improvement in production and the gross returns of rice cultivation.

Profitability and productivity of drought tolerant Aus rice variety Binadhan-19 in some areas of Bangladesh

R. Sultana — 2021-12-25

The present study was conducted in five districts namely Mymensingh, Ranpur, Pabna, Rajshahi and Chapainwabganj in Bangladesh. The objectives of the study were i) to identify the socio-economic characteristics of Aus rice growers; ii) to estimate profitability and productivity of Binadhan-19 in the study areas; and iii) to find out the major preferences and constraints for the variety cultivation. A total of 200 farmers were randomly selected (40 from each location) to collect the data with a pre-designed questionnaire. The distribution of the farmers by age showed that the mean age for Binadhan-19 cultivated farmers was 43 years. In the study areas among the farmer 86% was educated. Farmers average experience was 20 year and income were Tk. 235066 (USD 2611.84) per year. Per hectare average yield of rice was 1.37 ton. It was estimated that, to produce one kilogram of rice, total cost incurred was Tk. 14 where per kg average selling price of rice was Tk. 17. The average gross return and gross margin of rice cultivation were found Tk. 90679 (USD 1007.54)/ha and Tk. 51290 (USD 559.88)/ha, respectively. Per hectare average net return was Tk. 2459 (USD 27.32) which was found to be highest in Chapainwabganj Tk. 29739 (USD 330.43) and lowest in Rangpur Tk. 12692 (USD 141.02) district. BCR on total cost basis was found 1.37. The highest preference was for neat rice 98% and the highest constrain said by the farmer was crop destroy by animal and bird of paddy for early ripening in Binadhan-19 cultivation.

Studies on plant-parasitic nematodes associated with sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L., Lam.) in Gombe State, Nigeria

Jidere Caleb Iliya — 2021-12-25

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L., Lam.) is one of the most frequently eaten food crops. Its production is affected by plant-parasitic nematodes as well as biotic factors. This study was conducted to document the different plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) that limit the gainful production of sweet potato in Gombe State. Thirty soil core samples per hectare were collected at random from sweet potato farms in the three local government areas (Nafada, Kaltungo, and Yamaltu Deba) of Gombe state. The Whitehead and Hemming method and identification keys were used for the soil extraction and genera identification of the plant-parasitic nematodes respectively. A total of 15 plant-parasitic nematodes were recovered throughout the surveyed areas among which 7 are considered major nematode pests of global importance. Irrespective of the surveyed locations, Meloidogyne spp., was found to record the highest population density and prevalence value. The frequency of occurrence in Y/Deba and Nafada LGAs shows that Meloidogyne spp., wasthe most occurring (32 %) genera. In Kaltungo LGA however, Scutellonema spp., and Rotylenchusspp., were the most occurring (17 %) genera. There was a high similarity percentage (≥ 68 %) of PPN genera where 8 genera (Scutellonema spp., Nacobbus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Meloidogyne spp., Heterodera spp., Xiphinema spp., Trichodorus spp., and Rotylenchus spp.) were found to be common amongst the surveyed locations. This is the first report of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with sweet potato in Gombe state, Nigeria. Hence, it is critical to educate farmers in the regions about their effects on the crop and how to successfully manage them.

Effect of nutrient management on growth and yield of two tomato varieties in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region of Bangladesh

Sharmin Akter Shova — 2021-12-25

The main goal is to investigate the effect of crop nutrient management on growth and yield of two tomato varieties in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) region of Bangladesh. Two factors experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Factor A was two varieties of tomato namely, V₁: BARI 2 and V₂: BARI 15. Factor B was different types of fertilizer like F₀ (Farmers practices), F₁ (vermicompost), F₂ (inorganic fertilizer), F₃ (combined fertilizer: 3/4 vermicompost+ 1/4 inorganic fertilizers), F₄ (control, no fertilizer). Soil characteristics and climatic conditions were recorded. Plant growth, flowering and fruit characters, and yield were found significantly different (p<0.05). The highest plant height, flowering and fruit characters related to higher production were found in BARI 15 (V₂) variety influenced by combined application of fertilizer F₃ (3/4 vermicompost + 1/4 inorganic fertilizers). The maximum number of flower clusters per plant (9.66), fruit clusters per plant (8.13), individual fruit weight (117.7 g), fruit numbers per plant (51.17) were found in V₂F₃ and the same parameters were the lowest in V₁F₄. The results showed the highest production (95.50 t/ha) in V₂F₃ followed by V₂F₀ (81.70 t/ha), V₂F₁ (72.17 t/ha) and V₂F₂ (68.06 t/ha), and the lowest yield (27.70 t/ha) in V₁F₄. The highest fruit yield ((95.50 t/ha) found in V₂F₃ showed 80.84% higher compared to the V₁F₄ (27.70 t/ha) treatment. Considering the variety, the highest yield (74.05 t/ha) was found in V₂ which was 40% higher yield compared to V₁. Combined application of vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers performed best as the nutrient management and BARI 15 was found as a suitable variety for the CHTs climatic condition. Hence, the similar type fertilizers proportion can be applied for the other vegetables production in the farmers field for the healthy and eco-friendly environment achievement.

Changes in growth parameters and forage quantity and quality of corn harvested at different developmental stages

Suleyman CAGIR — 2021-12-25

Due to the different agricultural practices such as second cropping or more for the increase product obtained from the areas of suitable climate, some differences in harvesting stages of plants have been occurred. The study was carried out in the Menemem location of Izmir in the coastal Aegean region of Turkey under Mediterranean climate in 2018 and 2019 to determine the performance of corn cultivars in different maturity stages. Seven varieties of corn (Everest, Aga, Kilowatt, Burak, Samada-07, P30B74 and P31Y43) were harvested at 3 different growth stages (silking, end of milk and dough stages) to determine the changes in some parameters of growing, forage quantity and quality. The highest average of dry forage yield (24159 kg ha^-1 average of years) was determined at the third harvest date. The maximum cob rate was also measured at the third harvest date, but the maximum leaf and stalk rates were measured at the first harvest date. The average protein rate decreased throughout the growing period while ADF and NDF increased. Almost all of the varieties were found to have large leaf areas. The Burak variety came to the fore due to its long length and relatively thick stalk features and high green and dry yields. Moreover, P31Y43 was determined to have a high quality in addition to high green and dry grass yields. Therefore, the Burak and P31Y43 can be suggested in terms of high parameters both quantity and quality under different crop conditions for increase production.

Effect of transplanting dates on yield attributing characters of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) variety

Shreejana K.C — 2021-12-25

The research was conducted on the field of Chagunarayan municipality (Tathali) from 23^rd March to 17^th June 2020 to observe the effect date of transplanting on attributing character of tomato Genotype. 23^rd March, 6^thApril, 21^st April, and 6th May are the four sowing dates laid out in the RCBD design with three replications. And the data were observed in 10 days intervals for each planting time. The attributing character like plant height, leaf number, no of branches shows positive impact for early shown plant species, and development for later sowing date shows decreasing result. Therefore, the species planted before the planting time is beneficial from an economic point of view where the plant shows a positive growth rate on attributing character, and it can be considered for further research programs as well.

Enhancement of climate-resilient livelihoods in coastal agricultural communities with an emphasis on women

Nirmal Chandra Roy — 2021-12-25

Climate change is causing widespread concerns along the coast, reducing agricultural productivity and destroying livelihoods. A study was conducted in two cyclone-prone districts of Bangladesh, Khulna and Satkhira, with a focus on women, to improve the climate-resilient livelihoods of coastal communities. Participatory rural appraisal techniques were used to collect community perceptions of climate change and variability, as well as adaptation options. A total of 699 participants were involved, where 466 respondents were in the treatment group mostly vulnerable to climate change, and 233 were in the control group similarly matched to the treatment groups. Female respondents were adequately involved in this research and accounted for 63% of the treatment and 60% of the control areas. Climate change was impulsive, according to the findings, and variability has increased over time with no optimistic outlook. The women had an idea about climate change, with 62.7% in the treatment group and 58% in the control group being aware of it. About 55.3% in treatment and 45% in control were willing to take preventative measures against climate change. Natural disasters and difficulty in selling their products impacted agricultural harvests, and as a result, both the treatment and control groups attempted to adapt to the alternative livelihoods in response to climate change. Respondents cited changes in rainfall patterns, cyclones, saline water intrusion, and other factors as causing lower yields and crop damage. To improve the adaptive capacities of their climate-resilient livelihoods, communities adapted to the changing environment by accepting high-yielding salt-tolerant varieties, introducing new technologies, and modifying livelihood options.

Taxonomic diversity of weed flora in pulse crops growing field at south-western part of Bangladesh

Md. Shahriar Kobir — 2021-12-25

Pulses are important field crops in Bangladesh and weed infestation in pulses field is a great concern now a days. So, a rigorous field survey was conducted throughout the pulses growing season at pulses grower farmers’ field of south-western part of Bangladesh to know the present status of weed infestation in pulses field. During the survey, fresh samples were collected along with other related information e.g., habitat, location, collection date, flowering time, crop/plant association. Fresh samples were dried well for making herbarium specimens. A sum of 13 weed species under 12 genera and 08 families were collected and documented their uses in various ailments. Among the families, Amaranthaceae is the highest-represented family with 03 species. Among the genera, the largest genera Amaranthus represented by 2 species. Cyperous rotundus, Cynodon dactylon, Chenopodium album, Amaranthus spinosus, Croton bonplandianum, Coccinia grandis are the common and major weed species in pulse crop growing field in south-western part of Bangladesh. The knowledge generated from the present research would be helpful for the management practices of pulse crop associated weeds as well as for getting high economic benefits from beneficial species.

Profitability, marketing, and resource use efficiency of ginger production in Rukum west, Nepal

Bikash Gurung — 2021-12-25

The study was designed to investigate the profitability, marketing, and resource use efficiency of ginger production in Rukum west. The sample size of 62 ginger-growing farmers out of 187 farmers was determined using slovin’s formula. In addition, 20 traders from two major market hubs Simrutu and Jhulneta were interviewed. The pre-tested semi-structured interview schedule was administered to interview a randomly selected sample size. Data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical tools, including the Cobb-Douglas production function. Result showed that the average area under ginger cultivation was 0.14 ha. A major portion (46.56%) of the cost was found to be incurred by the seed alone in ginger cultivation. The benefit-cost ratio (2.02) indicates that ginger production enterprise was profitable. The productivity of ginger in the study area was estimated to be 11.39 Mt/ha, while per kg cost of production was found to be (NRs 35.67 = USD 0.30). Most of the gross income (78.85%) was found to be contributed by fresh ginger. Similarly, gross margin, market margin, and producer’s share were found to be 21.16, 33.33, and 62.97%, respectively, for 1 kg of ginger. The indexing technique identified high-cost with low-quality seed and price instability as the major problems associated with the production and marketing of ginger, respectively. Cobb-Douglas production function estimated the value of return to scale at 0.889, implying that ginger production exhibited decreasing returns to scale. A study on resource allocative efficiency revealed that farm yard manure and total labor were underutilized resources while seed rhizome was overutilized resource. Thus, for optimal allocation of resources, expenditure on farm yard manure and total labor need to be increased by 87.374% and 39.908%, respectively. The study concluded that an effort should be made to bridge the gap between optimal resource utilization and current practices. For this, it is prime important to interconnect the combined efforts of ginger growers, provincial government, or any developing partners.

Effect of biochar blended organic fertilizers on soil fertility, radish productivity and farm income in Nepal

Shridhika Dahal — 2021-12-25

Declining soil fertility and nutrient availability are one of the major threats to reducing crop productivity in Nepal. A field experiment was conducted to assess the potential of biochar (10 t ha^-1) blended with organic and inorganic fertilizers on improving soil fertility and radish productivity in Morang district, Nepal. Biochar was prepared from locally available twigs, branches, and wood using the soil pit “Kon tiki” method. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with 7 treatments having four replications viz., control (CK), biochar (BC), biochar + cattle manure (CM), biochar + poultry manure (PM), biochar + cattle urine (CU), biochar + commercial biofertilizers (BF) and biochar + inorganic fertilizers (urea-N). The nitrogen rate used in all the treatments was equivalent to 100 kg ha^-1. The agronomic effect of biochar blended organic amendments was compared with control and inorganic urea-N treatments. Biochar amended plots showed significantly higher soil pH (6.5), organic matter (4%), total N% (0.8%), available P (80.1 kg ha^-1), and K (203.6 kg ha^-1) compared with control. CM increased marketable yield by 320% (63 t ha^-1) and biomass yield by 198% (100 t ha^-1) compared with control (15.0 t ha^-1 and 34 t ha^-1) of marketable and biomass yield, respectively. CM increased marketable yield by 44% compared with the urea-N treatment (44 t ha^-1). Moreover, net return was observed highest with CM treatment among all the organic and urea-N treatments. The study suggests that the combination of biochar with locally produced cattle manure has the potential to increase radish productivity and could compete with mineral nitrogen fertilizers while producing similar or even higher crop yields and economic returns.

Economic analysis of mushroom enterprise in Chitwan district, Nepal

Ranju Acharya — 2021-12-25

The majority of the population (66%) in-country “Nepal” are engaged in agriculture. However, domestic production finds it difficult to meet the annual demand of the people. Hence, people are moving from subsistence agriculture to embrace mushroom farming. This study focuses on economic analysis and analysis of the present status of mushroom farming and enterprise in this country. The study was conducted in the land area of Kalika Municipality and Bharatpur Metropolitan City. 30 mushroom farmers with two huts and at least three years of experience were selected from the study area. The primary data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the farmers, focus group discussion (FGD) and key informant interviews (KII). The secondary data was collected through various published articles and documents. The data analysis was done using basic statistics and a regression function. The benefit-cost ratio is 2.54 and a high gross margin is NRs.490,876.65 per kattha per year. The return to scale (RTS) is 0.80. Five marketing channels are present among which wholesalers and local collectors contributed the highest percentage of the share. However, the dominance of the intermediaries, timely unavailability of inputs, price fluctuation, disease and pest infestation were the major constraints. Disease and pest control, formation of the producer organization, improvised cultivation practices, timely and affordable availability of quality can be the major solution measures. Whereas, suitable climatic conditions, high productivity and growing market demand are the strengths of mushroom production in this study area. Mushroom farming is found to be a profitable business concerning competitive and comparative markets.

Scalability constraints in Disruptive Agricultural Technologies (DATs) along Value Chain on agricultural production in South Sudan

David Lomeling — 2021-09-25

Scalability known as the capacity of input variables along the Value Chain (VC) to effect transformative changes on agricultural production was evaluated for a farming system in Juba County of Central Equatoria State (CES), South Sudan. These transformative input variables commonly referred to as, Disruptive Agricultural Technologies (DATs) in the form of advisory, material as well as technological variables were shown to positively influence agricultural production from a default state. The objective of this study was to find out how a probability-based Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) software NETICA could be applied to assess as well as upscale the level of agricultural production P(Prod_level | ) from a data input domain D. Simulation using a 700 kg ha^-1 of cowpea yield at 50% Cumulative Probability Distribution (CPD) as a calibrant, the backcasting method showed that, scaling up of marginal probabilities in agrotechnology and financial resources from 0.025 to 0.1 (25% increment) and from 0.015 to 0.03 (50% increment) respectively, while keeping other input variables unchanged, increased cowpea yield from 692.9 to 783.1 kg ha^-1 (about 12% increment). Conversely, where no DATs were introduced as in the worst-case scenario, production level was comparatively lower. The BBN model is thus, an indispensable tool that can provide useful information on scaling up agricultural production and hence improve livelihood opportunities in Juba County. However, for sustainable agricultural production, scalability may be constrained by spatial-temporal, environmental and socio-economic imperatives as well as on availability, accessibility, affordability of all input variables.

Blockchain-based secured traceability system for the agriculture supply chain of ginger in Nepal: A case study

Susan Thapa — 2021-09-25

For the past few years, ginger export to India and through India to other countries has become a perennial problem for the farmers and traders. In this paper, we discuss about the impact of blockchain technology in ginger supply chain, which faces intermittent deterring of ginger worth millions in the Nepal-India border. Extensive literature reviews and execution of Delphi method in the study showed that blockchain as an emerging technology capable of transforming the food supply chain maintaining transparency in each step. In this paper, we study the potentiality of blockchain technology in transforming the ginger supply chain system through its potential benefits in Nepalese agriculture. The technology is capable of making various aspects of supply chain like tracing, monitoring and sustainability efficient. Thus, can reduce the trade-trust deficit between nations with technology.

Fungal diversity inhabited with trees and their conservation in Bukki Top in upper great Himalaya

Rajeev Shankhwar — 2021-09-25

This investigation was aimed to explore the biodiversity of upper great Himalayas range with special reference to the flora and its conservation. The natural landscape and high altitude meadows (Bugyal) enhanced the beauty of Uttarakhand. Bukki village and Bukki top one of the gorgeous region locate in Uttarkashi district of Uttrakhand state, fall on the opposite side of the national highway NH-108 and connect the Gangotri Glacier via Harsil. The present article is the description of the flora of the Bukki region and, we tried to mainly focus on different fungus species and disease on trees, observed during the trek. Some important fungus species observed are Daldinia concentric, Trichaptum biforme, Fomes fomentarius and Daedalea quercina. We also describe each fungus attributes and habitat distribution description.

A review on the effect of heat stress in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Preeti Karki — 2021-09-25

Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. It ranks first (in the world) and third (in Nepal) in terms of productivity and total cropped area. Worldwide, wheat provides nearly 55% of the carbohydrates and 20% of the food calories. The ideal temperature for its cultivation is about 15°-20°C. Among several abiotic factors, heat stress is one of the major factors affecting wheat production. Wheat is very sensitive to heat stress. Each degree rise in the temperature can decrease wheat yield by 6%. This review is written with an aim to reflect the influence of heat stress in the production of wheat and the mechanism of how loss in yield occurs. Some of the major findings of this research are : (a) Heat stress negatively effects germination, emergence, root growth, leaf, stem development and growth, tillering, grain yield and quality (b) A sharp decline in photosynthesis is evident when wheat plant is exposed to high temperature stress during vegetative or reproductive phase (c) With increases in temperature, rate of respiration is greater than the rate of photosynthesis which ultimately leads to carbon starvation (d) High temperature fastens the crop growth by making it to enter into jointing stage and reproductive stage earlier than normal resulting in decreased crop yield. The identification of such effects of heat stress in our crop helps us adopt several strategies or methods to mitigate the impacts on crop yields and improve tolerance to heat stress.

Status of forest soil and necessity of sustainable soil conservation practices of Nepal

Astha Pokharel — 2021-09-25

Forests are the fundamental natural resource regarded as the crucial aspect to uplift rural livelihood in Nepal. Forest, not only acquaints us with ecosystem services but also deals with carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling in forest soil, serving the most crucial part of human welfare. However, several human forces such as construction of roads, deforestation, shifting cultivation, overgrazing, and forest fires have decreased the organic matter content and contributed to landslides, erosion and sedimentation in forest. Frequent landslides, soil erosion on the landscape of Nepal is degrading the environment and soil, where 1.7mm of fertile topsoil is lost annually. Considering the fact, present study points to recognize the status of forest soil, its relationship and necessity of sustainable soil conservation practices. Secondary sources of data were used to assemble the related information. Hence, Involvement of different institutions, policy, law, local participation and community-based approach is significantly important in adopting forest soil conservation approaches. Different strategies of carbon sequestration should be maintained by increasing plant cover, enhancing microbes, utilizing agricultural inputs and slowing down the amount of soil disturbances. Likewise, strengthening different thematic areas of Forest Policy 2015 is indispensable in effective implementation of sub sectoral programmes. Forest management strategies incorporating the concepts of carbon storage, buffer strips, terracing, windbreaks, agroforestry, conservation tillage are the major areas highlighted through this paper for further researchers on preserving forest land.

A review on use of agrochemical in agriculture and need of organic farming in Nepal

Susan Makaju — 2021-09-25

The growing use of chemical pesticides haphazardly and their harmful influence on ecosystem and human health highlight the necessity for safe and sustainable organic production in our time. The article reviews a general overview of organic farming; the impact of organic farming on soil health and climate mitigation in comparison with conventional farming practice in Nepal. The article identifies the problems and possibilities of organic farming to resuscitate the pesticide-dominated conventional practice in Nepal. Organic farming now has been embedded in the natural agriculture policy in Nepal. Organic farming benefits in terms of environmental protection along with better living health. Various governmental and non-governmental bodies, farmers, and individuals are working to promote organic farming in Nepal. With the increase in awareness of health and environmental concerns, the adoption of organic agriculture and the demand for organic agricultural products is increasing. It holds a great prospect in countries like ours where an integrated crop-livestock system is still prevalent in many parts of the country. As a result, an organic farming system in Nepal must be thoroughly investigated and supported through proper regulations and tactics. It is urged to supplant pesticide-based conventional farming with organic farming that leads towards agricultural sustainability for the upcoming generation.

Impact of climate change on the ecosystem of the central Himalayas, Nepal

Ganesh Paudel — 2021-09-25

The threats of climate change are found in both developed and developing countries. Since the impacts of climate change are global, irreversible, and pervasive, it is gaining worldwide attention. High mountains are the first indicators of climate change. However, the idea of what causes climate change effects on multiple ecosystem services remains scattered. This article is meant for information regarding the impacts of climate change on the ecosystem of Nepal. The result shows that climate change causes tree line shifting, change in land cover, extinction of species due to loss of habitat, imbalance in carbon sequestration on the terrestrial ecosystem while eutrophication of water bodies and extinction of endemic fish species was reported from the aquatic ecosystem. Tropical area is considered to be more affected by climate change in terms of Natural disasters and Health impacts. Moreover, different types of ecological modeling can be simulated in the context of Nepal for the prediction and future analysis of the impacts of climate change in the Ecosystem. Therefore, the impact of climate change is crucial and challenging.

Effect of different doses of vermicompost on growth, yield and quality of radish (Raphanus sativus L. cv. Mino Early)

Dipesh Dulal — 2021-09-25

A field experiment was conducted at Horticulture farm of Nepal Polytechnic Institute (NPI) Bharatpur-11, Chitwan to study the effects of different doses of vermicompost on growth, yield and quality of radish (Raphanus sativus L. cv. Mino Early) from January 2020 to March 2020. Five different doses (0 ton, 5 ton, 10 ton, 15 ton, and 20 ton per hectare) of vermicompost were taken as treatments and the experiment was replicated four times. The experiment was set up in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The result of the study showed that there was a significant effect of different doses of vermicompost on plant height, the number of leaves per plant, spreading of the plant, root length, root weight per plant, root diameter, and root yield at harvesting. The maximum plant height, the maximum number of leaves per plant and maximum plant spreading in radish plant on vermicompost application was recorded every 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing (DAS). The maximum root length (29.60 cm), maximum root diameter (36.27 mm), maximum root weight (191.8 g), maximum biomass weight (241.6 g/plant), maximum root yield (47.9 ton/ha), were recorded on applying 15 ton/ha vermicompost at 60 DAS. The control treatment showed the minimum vegetative growth and yield. Among the different doses of vermicompost, the overall performance of radish was found better in 15 ton/ha of vermicompost. Statistical analysis showed no differences among (5 ton, 10 ton, 15 ton, 20 ton per hectare of vermicompost) applications. Hence, 5 ton per hectare of vermicompost application will be best for radish production in Chitwan.

Efficiency assessment of faecal sludge treatment plant (FSTP): An analytical study

Mukesh Ruhela — 2021-09-25

The success of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has increased the number of toilets in India. Treatment of septage and faecal sludge is now a big challenge to main the sanitation and hygiene in the society. Therefore, in the present study an attempt has been made to explore the concept and efficiency of Faecal Sludge Treatment (FSTP) technology. The paper also includes the study of characteristics of faecal sludge and biochar produced from faecal sludge. The efficiency of plant for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) was observed 99.88%, 99.91% and 99.88, respectively. After the treatment all the studied parameters of treated water was found below the standards set by MOEF for FSTP discharge. After dewatering and drying, the faecal sludge is analyzed for calorific value, ash, fixed carbon, volatile matter, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sulphur. Calorific value of faecal sludge ranged from 3339.00 Kcal kg^-1 to 3542.00 Kcal kg^-1 with an average value of 3419.67 Kcal kg^-1. Then the faecal sludge is pyrolysed to produce the energy and biochar. Biochar was analyzed for pH, colour, moisture, bulk density, potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus, lead, zinc, cadmium, copper, nickel, chromium, and mercury. All the parameters of biochar were found below the standard limits of Solid Waste Management Rules (SWM), 2016 except bulk density (2.07 g cm^-3), potassium (1.02%), and nitrogen (3.09%). On the basis of biochar results, it may be concluded that the sludge produced can be used as manure in agriculture and gardening. Therefore, FSTP is a suitable, sustainable eco-friendly technology for the treatment of faecal sludge and also reduces the chances of soil and ground water pollution.

An assessment of mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco.) orchard management practices in Dailekh, Nepal

Ansu Adhikari — 2021-09-25

A study was carried out in Dailekh, Nepal with an objective to assess the mandarin orchard management practices and their level of adoption by mandarin growers of Dullu municipality. All together 60 respondents were selected for the household survey in major citrus-producing wards of Dullu by following the simple random sampling technique. Primary data were collected by administering the pretested questionnaire and; descriptive and inferential statistics were computed using Ms-Excel and SPSS. The result showed that the majority of the respondents were from Brahmin ethnicity (43.3%), middle-age group i.e. 35-49 years (53.3%), and male (70.0%). Furthermore, most of them belonged to medium size family of 5-8 members (60.0%) and were earning most of their income through agriculture (80.0%). The result of the study revealed the variation in the scale of adoption of different management practices. Most of the households had adopted pruning and applied farmyard manure (FYM) while the least of them had adopted mulching and applied chemical fertilizer. Chi-square test revealed that the factors such as age (p=0.042), education level (p=0.007), family size (p=0.029), and training exposure (p=0.001) were significantly associated with the level of adoption of these practices. Incidence of insect-pests and diseases (I=0.88), frequent occurrence of climatic hazards such as hailstorms (I=0.71), and limited irrigation facility (I=0.70) were the major problems of mandarin growing households. It is recommended that improving access to irrigation facilities, use of certified planting material, mulching application and use of appropriate dose of manure and fertilizer must be prioritized in the study area.

Use of high-speed rotary tiller and power tiller operated seeder for onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivation

M.A. Khan — 2021-09-25

A field study was carried out to assess the performance of power tiller operated seeder (PTOS) and to compare the yield, quality, maturity and economic traits of onion under different planting methods at Spices Research Sub-Centre (SRSC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Faridpur, Bangladesh with four planting methods as four treatments: T₁) ploughing the main field with high speed rotary tiller (HSRT) + direct seeding with power tiller operated seeder (PTOS), T₂) ploughing the main field with HSRT + transplanting of seedlings, T₃) ploughing the main field with HSRT + direct seeding in line and T₄) ploughing the main field with HSRT + direct seeding as broadcasting. Under the study the treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The outcome of the study revealed that the treatments had a significant influence on the characteristics studied accept yield of onion. Different economic traits of onion were varied among the planting methods. The bulbs under direct seeding with the PTOS matured earlier (133.66days) as compared to the transplant (155.54days). All direct seeding methods showed insignificantly higher yields than that of transplants. The maximum yield (15.05t/ha) was recorded from broadcasting method. The yield performance under direct seeding with the PTOS and transplants were 15.08 and 14.92t/ha, respectively. The broadcasting method had very heterogeneous and under-sized bulbs due to uneven spacing and maximum plant population per unit area. In case of economic performance, transplanting method incurred the highest total cost of production. Maximum net return and benefit-cost ratio (2.95) were calculated from direct seeding with PTOS. So, it is concluded that in Bangladesh, direct seeding method with the PTOS may be a good option for getting early crop and maximum economic benefit.

Binamorich-2: A new high yielding Chilli variety of Bangladesh

Md. Nazmul Hasan Mehedi — 2021-09-25

Chilli is one of the most important spices as well as cash crop in Bangladesh. This study was undertaken at Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) to characterize the collected germplasm morphologically and select a desirable one for commercial cultivation in Bangladesh. More than fifty chilli germplasm were collected from local and exotic sources were put into evaluation to select desirable ones for directly use as varieties or for future usage as breeding materials. Through observation trials five germplasm were selected considering their better agronomic performance. Selected germplasm was evaluated through different trials at different chilli growing areas of Bangladesh during 2018 to 2020. Recommended cultural management for chilli cultivation was followed. The germplasm, IndoCF-25 produced significantly higher yield both green chilli and dried chilli than control varieties (Binamorich-1 and BARI Morich-1) in most of the trials. Over two years of advanced yield trial and on-farm trial, IndoCF-25 produced higher yield (32.00 t ha^-1) while BARImorich-1 produced (12.15 t ha^-1). IndoCF-25 was produced the longest plant height (78.8 cm), higher number of fruits (78.8) compared to Binamorich-1 (52.8), longer fruit size (13.95 cm), breadth (5.32 cm) and single fruit weight (11.38 g) compared to the check varieties. IndoCF-25 was found to be moderately tolerant to anthracnose, wilting and mosaic diseases, and also showed lower insect infestation than control varieties. Results of yield trials indicated that IndoCF-25-1 was suitable for cultivation in Bangladesh. Though check variety Binamorich-1 produced the highest yield (34.05 t ha^-1) among three tested genotype/varieties, due to the better pungency as well as other quantitative and qualitative performances, BINA has applied for registration of IndoCF-25-1 to the National Seed Board (NSB) of Bangladesh. Consequently, the NSB of Bangladesh registered IndoCF-25-1 as a high yielding better pungent chilli variety in 2020 as Binamorich-2 for commercial cultivation all over Bangladesh.

Land use/land cover change assessment of Mohana watershed (Far-Western Nepal) using GIS and remote sensing

Suraj Prasad Bist — 2021-09-25

The present study was conducted in the Mohana watershed of Far-western Nepal to assess land use land cover change. The study has used ArcGIS and three Landsat images - Landsat TM (1999), Landsat ETM+ (2009), and Landsat OLI (2019) – to analyze land use the land cover change of the watershed. The change matrix technique was used for change detection analysis. The study area was classified into five classes; forest, agriculture, built-up, water bodies, and barren lands. The study has found that among the five identified classes forest and build-up increased positively from 45.40 % to 51.51 % - forest cover and 11.26 % to 19. 85 % - build-up respectively. Similarly, agricultural land and water bodies initially increased but after 2009 both land cover areas decreased to 23.79 % and 0.73 % from 31.38 % and 0.97 % in 2009 respectively. Barren land decreased from 15.37% to 4.12% over the last 20 years. This study might support land-use planners and policymakers to adopt the best suitable land use management option for the Mohana watershed.

Impact of irrigated and non-irrigated cropping systems on soil physicochemical properties in a small-scale irrigation farming system in Eastern Uganda

Issa Kaduyu — 2021-09-25

This study evaluated the impact of irrigation and cropping on soil physicochemical properties at Kyekide small scale irrigation farm in Jinja district, eastern Uganda. Treatments included Land-use systems under perennial and annual cropping with and without irrigation for over 20 years. The hypothesis was that there were insignificant differences in physicochemical properties of the soil under irrigated and non-irrigated cropping systems. Soil physical properties except hydraulic conductivity was not significantly different with irrigation and cropping. The pH of the soils ranged from moderately acidic to neutral pH (5.17-7.40), with irrigated soils tending to be more neutral than non-irrigated soils. SOM content was higher in the irrigated soils and perennial soils than in the non-irrigated and annual soils. The soils were moderately deficient in N and severely deficient in P (mean values =0.175% N and 1.183mg kg^-1 P) compared with the critical of 0.2% and 15 mg kg^-1, respectively. Irrigated soils had a significantly higher Na⁺ content than non-irrigated soils, with a mean value of 2.985cmol/kg. The K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺ contents were higher in irrigated and perennial soils than non-irrigated and annual soils. The study suggested monitoring the soils under an irrigation scheme to prevent degradation due to increased salt accumulation or chemical fertility decline. Overall, monitoring of soil quality is vital in irrigation schemes to monitor the impacts of water on the environment.

Varietal performance of Broad leaf Mustard during winter season in plain region of eastern Nepal

Krishna Dahal — 2021-09-25

The experiment was conducted in agriculture farm of Girija Prasad Koirala College of Agriculture and Research Centre Gothagaun, Morang to know the morphological and yield attributing character, disease severity and organoleptic test of Broad leaf Mustard. Four Variety of broad leaf mustard namely Khumal Chaudapat, Marpha Chaudapat, Manakamana and Mustard 101 with five replication was laid out in Randomized complete block design (RCBD) from October, 2020 to January, 2021. The length of leaf was superior in Kumal chaudapat (29.01 cm) as compare to other variety. The yield performance of Khumal chaudapat was better (27.10mtha^-1) followed by Marpha Chaudapat (24.50mtha^-1) and Manakamana (23.90mtha^-1). Lowest disease severity was recorded in Mustard 101 (26.7%), and highest disease severity in Marpha Chaudapat (37.85%). Overall, organoleptic test was good in Marpha Chaudapat.

Response of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on the growth performance of aromatic Boro rice

Newton Chandra Paul — 2021-09-25

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, during December 2017 to May 2018 to study growth performance of aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50) in response to nitrogen and potassium fertilization. The experiment consisted of four levels of nitrogen viz., 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha^-1, and four levels of potassium viz., 0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that nitrogen and potassium fertilization and their interaction exerted significant influence on growth performance of BRRI dhan50. Application of 100 kg N ha^-1 produced the tallest plant (82.17 cm), the highest number of tillers hill^-1 (10.08) and chlorophyll content (52.21) at heading stage. While, application of 90 kg K ha^-1 produced the tallest plant (81.44 cm) at physiological maturity stage, the highest number of tillers hill^-1 (9.66) and chlorophyll content (51.54) at heading stage. In case of interaction, the tallest plant (85.33 cm), the highest number of tillers hill^-1 (10.83) and chlorophyll content (58.28) were obtained from 100 kg N ha^-1 along with 90 kg K ha^-1 at heading stage. Therefore, application of 100 kg N ha^-1 along with 90 kg K ha^-1 interaction appeared as the promising practice in aromatic rice (cv. BRRI dhan50) cultivation in terms of growth performance.

Factors influencing adoption of major orchard management practices in mandarin orange of Gorkha: A case from mid-hills of Nepal

Ashutosh Poudel — 2021-09-25

The mid-hills of Nepal have immense potential for mandarin orange production. However, its productivity is declining over the years despite an increasing trend in the cultivated area. Since the proper adoption of orchard management practices has been associated with increased productivity, it is, therefore, an imminent requirement to sustain the mandarin orange production for long in the country. Therefore, a research survey was carried out to assess the adoption of major orchard management practices and identify factors affecting its adoption so that the insights from this finding would provide potential policy implications for the rejuvenation of the declining orchards. Altogether, 93 households from Gandaki and Sahid Lakhan Rural municipalities, as well as Gorkha Municipality from Gorkha district were chosen for the study using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected with a semi-structured interview which was analyzed using SPSS and Stata software. A seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) logit model was used for triangulating the effect of different variables on the adoption of major mandarin orange orchard management practices. The findings revealed that nearly two-third of the households reported citrus decline in their orchards. Further, the adoption of major orchard management practices was mostly found driven by regular access to extension agents, and the income generated from agriculture. Nevertheless, the adoption was plagued by the prevalence of citrus decline in the orchard. In light of these findings, participatory training programs related to the rejuvenation of declining orchards, regular advisory and extension services, and input subsidies to the smallholding farmers are suggested so that the adoption of major orchard management practices gets increased among the mandarin orange farmers.

Status of farm mechanization and its impact on maize production in Jhapa District, Nepal

Santosh Kandel — 2021-09-25

A survey research was carried out in 2020 in maize zone, Jhapa to identify and analyze the status of farm mechanization and its impact in the maize production. Kankai Municipality and Jhapa Rural municipality were purposively selected for the study as these areas were under the command area of prime minister agriculture modernization project, project implementation unit, maize zone Jhapa. Thereafter, a total of 70 samples were selected using random sampling method. Thirty-three samples were selected from Kankai Municipality and remaining thirty-seven were selected from remaining Jhapa rural municipality. Primary data were collected using semi-structured questionnaire, focal group discussion and key informant interview whereas secondary data were obtained through a review of relevant literature. Both descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze the data. It was found that the status of mechanization was still in the initial phase in the study area. Results showed that mechanization was limited to two cultural operations namely tillage and threshing of which only in case of tillage, farm machineries were adopted by more than ninety percent of the respondent farmers while in case of sowing more than ninety percent of respondent didn’t use any modern equipment. Insect and pest in maize field was major problem faced by the farmers. Therefore, productivity of maize in Kankai area was higher as compared to Jhapa area as adoption of mechanization was higher in Kankai area.

Effect of integrated weed management practices on the growth, yield, quality and economic of onion (Allium cepa L.)

M. A. Khan — 2021-09-25

A field study was conducted at research field of Spices Research Sub-Centre (SRSC), Faridpur, Bangladesh to find out the efficacy of weed management practices on the growth, yield, quality and economics of onion with the variety BARI Piaz-6. Thirteen treatments such as: T₁-control as check (no weeding), T₂-weed free, T₃-one hand weeding (HW) at 45 days after transplanting (DAT), T₄-two HW at 25 and 45 DAT, T₅-three HW at 25, 45 and 65 DAT, T₆-pre-emergence (PE) spray of pendimethalin 33 EC @ 330g a.i/litre + one HW at 45 DAT, T₇- PE spray of pendimethalin 33 EC @ 330g a.i/litre + two HW at 45 and 65 DAT, T₈- post emergence (POE) spray of pendimethalin 33 EC @ 330g a.i/litre at 25 DAT + one HW at 65 DAT, T₉- PE spray of oxyfluorfen 23.5 EC @ 235g a.i./litre + one HW at 45 DAT, T₁₀- PE spray of oxyfluorfen 23.5 EC @ 235g a.i./litre + two HW at 45 & 65 DAT, T₁₁- POE spray of oxyfluorfen 23.5 EC @ 235g a.i./litre at 25 DAT + one HW at 65 DAT, T₁₂- PE spray of pendimethalin 33 EC @ 330g a.i/litre + POE spray of oxyfluorfen 23.5 EC @ 235g a.i./litre at 45 DAT + one HW at 65 DAT and T₁₃- PE spray of oxyfluorfen 23.5 EC @ 235g a.i./litre + POE spray of pendimethalin 33 EC @ 330g a.i/litre at 45 DAT + one HW at 65 DAT were compared by randomized complete block design with three replications. The study revealed that the weed management treatments under the study significantly influenced all parameters except total soluble solid content of onion bulb. Weed density had reverse effect on growth, development and yield of onion. Among the weed’s infestation, Cyperus rotundus (55-60%), Echinochloa crusgalli (10-15%) and Chenopodium album (8-10%) were predominant. The highest weed density (137.25 weeds/m²) were recorded from the T₁. The lowest weed density (15.24 weeds/m²) were observed from T₁₃. The T₃ had the least weed control efficacy (23.56%). The maximum fresh yield (19.49 t/ha) of onion bulb were obtained from T₂ followed by T₁₃ (19.31 t/ha). The highest benefit-cost ratio (2.19) was calculated from the T₁₃ closely followed by T₁₂ (2.18). From this study it was concluded that Pre-emergence application (PE) application of oxyflourfen or pendimethalin + post-emergence (POE) application of oxyflourfen or pendimethalin at 45 DAT (days after transplanting) + once HW (hand weeding) at 65 DAT and also PE of oxyflourfen or pendimethalin + twice HW at 45 & 65 DAT exhibited good performance to control weeds in onion field.

Determination of soil fertility constraints in two paddy soils of the western highland zone of Cameroon

Ngoucheme Mamouda — 2021-09-25

Information on soil fertility status and variability are essential in understanding the potential of soils and their management interventions in agriculture. The present study aimed at examining the soil quality or fertility of two paddy soils with different productivity in the Western Highland Zone of Cameroon. Twelve soil samples were collected in each of both study location at a standard depth of 0-30 cm and analyzed to find soil texture, Organic Carbon (OC), basic cations (Calcium Ca, Magnesium Mg, Potassium K and Sodium Na), Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), soil pH, phosphorus (P), and Total Nitrogen (TN). Most measured soil characteristics showed different degrees of variability in soil nutrients ranging from low to very high in both soils. Both soils were acidic (pH <5.5), consistently deficient in total nitrogen, phosphorus, basic cations, and had high OC and CEC. Pearson correlation analysis and principal component analysis were used to identify appropriate soil quality indicators. P and Na in Koutaba and P, Mg, and CEC in Santchou constituted minimum data set (MDS) and accounted for 94% and 100% of the quality variation among soils. A Soil Quality Index (SQI) was developed base on the MSD method, Santchou and Koutaba received SQI of 0.48 and 0.73. The paddy soils of Koutaba were more fertile than those of Santchou. The low level of P and Mg were considered to be the major constraints limiting the productivity in both locations. These results suggest that, the management of inherent soil properties is based on-site specific situations.

Assessment of potentiality of known bacterial blight resistant genes against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae pathotypes exist in Bangladesh

Md. Mahbubul Haque — 2021-09-25

Bacterial blight (BB) caused by X. oryzae pv. oryzae is a destructive disease of rice and causes 30-50% losses to rice depending on the outbreak. Development BB resistant rice varieties have long been considered as one of the most effective approach to control the disease. However, the durability of host resistance is breaking down due to the change of pathotypes of X. oryzae pv. oryzae globally. Pathotypic analyses of 239 X. oryzae pv. oryzae Bangladeshi isolates on Near Isogenic Lines (NILs) containing resistance (R) gene (s) revealed the existence of eight pathotypes of X. oryzae pv. oryzae. Among eight pathotypes, pathotypes IV and V were considered as major comprising maximum number of isolates, (30.13% and 23.01%, respectively), whereas pathotype VIII considered as minor consisting only 2.51% of total isolates. Pathotype, I showed highest virulence or aggressiveness compatible with all NILs, whereas pathotype VIII exhibited lowest virulence to these NILs. Bacterial blight resistant genes viz. Xa1 (75.00%), Xa11 (62.50%) and Xa21 (50.00%) showed resistance to most of the pathotypes while Xa4 performed worst as compared to all others R-genes. In pyramid lines, IRBBB63 (Xa5+Xa7+Xa13) and IRBB57 (Xa5+Xa7 +Xa21) showed resistance reaction and IRBB61 (Xa4+Xa5+Xa7), IRBB60 (Xa4+Xa5+Xa13+Xa21), IRBB54 (Xa5+Xa21), and IRBB53 (Xa4+Xa21) showed susceptible reaction to X. oryzae pv. oryzae pathotypes. These results collectively indicated the deployment of Xa1, Xa11, Xa4, Xa5, Xa7, Xa13 and Xa21 either alone or in combination against BB would be a best choice for the development of BB resistant rice varieties in Bangladesh.

A survey of Avifauna in aquatic habitat and their adjoining areas of Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, India

Ashish Kumar Arya — 2021-06-25

The present study deals with the observation of avifauna in the aquatic habitat and their adjoining areas of Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, India. The present study was carried out from January 2020 to December 2020. We have recorded a total of 145 avian species belonging to the 54 families during the study period. Among this, a total of 113 residents and 32 winter visitor species were identified. The percentage of resident and winter visitor avian species was 78.08% and 21.91%. During the study period, we also reported the four avian species viz., River Lapwing, River tern, Great Hornbill, and Alexandrine Parakeet are under the Near Threatened (NT) category and one species, namely Red-headed vulture is critically endangered according to IUCN Red data book. Thus, the findings of this study suggest that the selected study area has avifauna diversity of utmost importance which should be conserved by implementing specific strategies.

Coffee income and its determinants: A case of Deusa village, Nepal

Navin Banjade — 2021-06-25

Understanding economic contribution of coffee production and influencing socioeconomic and environmental factors for coffee income are vital for its promotion. The primary aim of this study was therefore to assess the contribution of coffee income to the household total cash income and identify influencing socioeconomic and environmental factors for coffee income in Deusa, Solukhumbu district of Nepal. A semi-structured questionnaire survey gather data from 55 coffee-growing households. We used Ordinary Least Square regressions (OLS) for identifying influencing factors for coffee income. Household annual gross income, from farm and off-farm income sources, estimated was around NPR 161 thousand, and the median value was 57.4 thousand. On average, coffee farming contributed almost 9% of the total household income in the study area. The OLS regression showed that sufficient labor availability (p<0.05), access to coffee-related trainings (p<0.05), and access to irrigation facilities (p<0.05) significantly increased coffee earnings. Likewise, environmental variables - elevation (negatively, p<0.05) and shade trees availability for coffee farming (positively, p<0.05) also influenced earnings from the coffee farming. We recommend provisions of trainings, improved irrigation facilities and tree saplings for shade management for sustainable coffee production in the study area.

Crop diversity in jhum cultivation: A case study of Upper Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Temin Payum — 2021-06-25

Crop diversity is a source of food, medicines, and fodder; it provides a proximate composition including carbohydrates, proteins, minerals, vitamins, fats, essential elements, and nutraceuticals for healthy growth and development of a body. Jhum cultivation is a source of multiple crops and study on multiple sources of nutrients help in the dept understanding of diet and also framing of food policy; Present work was carried out to study the multiple cropping in Jhum agriculture field of the Upper Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh. To fulfill the objectives, field visit, open-end questionnaires and purposive samplings methods were used. A total of forty-three (43) crops were recorded to be cultivated in the Jhum field. Crops varieties of the study site could be classified into leafy vegetable crops, cereal crops, oil crops, pulses, spices crops, fruit crops, medicinal food plants, tuber crops and fiber crops.

Post-harvest practices of horticultural crops in Nepal: Issues and management

Biju Adhikari — 2021-06-25

Fruits and vegetables are highly perishable in nature and have a very short shelf-life. During different handling and marketing procedures, there is massive post-harvest loss of horticulture produce, either or both qualitative and quantitative, between harvest and consumption. Factors affecting post-harvest losses differ with topography, varieties of crops, climate, etc. and are difficult to understand. Considering the fact, the present study aims to describe the status of post-harvest losses of horticultural produce and their potential management techniques. Secondary data is used to collect the related information. The demand of high-quality horticulture produce is increasing due to its healthy nutrition. Post-harvest management of the produce includes pre- and post-harvest practices, their handling, packaging, storage, distribution, and marketing. The storage life and marketable quality of the produce can be maximized by limiting (not stopping) the respiration and transpiration through proper control of temperature and relative humidity of the produce. The right selection of packaging materials and technologies play vital role in maintaining product quality and freshness during storage and distribution. Moreover, the innovative techniques like modified active packaging, active and intelligent packaging, controlled atmospheric storage, and use of antimicrobial could extend the shelf life of produce to a significant time. This review mainly focuses on the causes of qualitative and quantitative losses of horticulture produce along with the effective measures to control the losses in Nepalese context. It emphasized on the adoption of innovative technologies to improve the storage life, marketable quality and freshness of the produce.

Genetic insights on single cross maize hybrid and its importance on maize self-sufficiency in Nepal

Pabitra Joshi — 2021-06-25

When the world's population rises, total crop production worldwide is not meeting rising food demand. Focus on developing high yielding single cross hybrids of maize that are resource-efficient under diverse soil and climatic conditions is utmost for countries like Nepal. With the aim of exploring genetic reasons for higher hybrid vigor of single cross hybrid of maize, global genetic importance and addressing the emerging issue of needed higher productivity in Nepal to achieve maize self-sufficiency status, comprehensive review work was performed. Research findings explored that; the Heterosis hypothesis has been widely exploited in crop breeding, resulting in a large increase in yield. The ability analysis is of special importance in cross-pollinated crops like maize as it helps in identifying potential parents that can be used for producing hybrids and synthetics. New molecular tools and techniques can complement traditional methods to allow breeders to tackle priority research areas efficiently. Nepal’s reliance on imported hybrid maize seed and grain increased each year as competitive hybrid cultivars became unavailable within the country. Recently, higher yield gap due to lower productivity, being the major concern in Nepal, single cross hybrids are intervention point. For the countries like Nepal, where achieving higher yield of maize to address self-sufficiency is the nationally prioritized issue, single cross hybrids of maize could be the best way to come up.

Pests, pathogens, pathogenic diseases, and diseases control strategies of sal (Shorea robusta) in Nepal

Vivek Thapa Chhetri — 2021-06-25

Sal (Shorea robusta) is one of the most indispensable species in Nepal, both ecologically and economically. This paper aims to provide updated guidance for the management and protection of this species in the future from various pests and pathogens. We reviewed 38 articles from Google Scholar and Research gate with keywords "Shorea robusta”, “Hoplocerambyx spinicornis”, “Polyporus shoreae”, “Heart rot”. S. robusta has the most insect fauna among the forest tree species. Out of the 346 insects reported on S. robusta, around 155 species of insects are associated with living trees. Hoplocerambyx spinicornis is the most destructive insect pest, wreaking havoc on S. robusta. Polyporous shoreae is the main cause of root rot in S. robusta, and spreads through root contact or root grafting. Heart rot in S. robusta is caused by the fungi Hymenochaete rubiginosa, Fomes caryophylli, and F. fastuosus. During the harvesting of S. robusta, the majority of the tree was observed to be faulty, resulting in a large amount of waste wood. The best way to determine the pathogen's "Achilles' heel" is to consider its life cycle. The Nepalese famous saying "prevention is better than cure" may be applicable in the management of S. robusta insect pests and pathogens. The current paper critically addresses these issues and argues the need for an improvised package of activities for insect pests, pathogens, prevention, and their control.

Production status, export analysis, and future prospects of ginger in Nepal

Priyanka Joshi — 2021-06-25

Ginger is one of the high-value spices crops of Nepal possessing the huge potential of export to the global market. Among Nepal’s natural gifts are agricultural diversity and varied topography making the land suitable for ginger production. The main aim of this study was to scrutinize the current status of ginger production, annual growth rate, its import and export as well as prospects of the Nepali ginger. Fundamentally, secondary data were collected from authentic sources, and then were assembled in Microsoft Excel, and diagrams were generated. ArcGIS software was used to create the map. Findings revealed that the production of ginger is in an increasing trend with an average annual growth rate of 6.67%. Nepal contributed about 9.2% of the global ginger production, despite its small area. Ginger is exported primarily to India because of the lack of an internationally accredited testing laboratory. From this study, it can be concluded that Nepal has comparative advantages in growing ginger, which is noticeable with the geographical features and well-adapted local varieties. The trend of enormous growth in ginger production and its export indicates that ginger production and trade could be a potential enterprise contributing to the national economy. It is recommended to focus on enhancing ginger productivity by providing training and extension services to farmers, subsidies, establishing ginger processing units, easy and reliable certification within the country, and enhancing diplomatic relations for easy market accessibility for strengthening the ginger sub-sector.

Physicochemical assessment of leachate from Pokhara landfill site and its impact on the quality of Seti River water, Nepal

Lekha Nath Khanal — 2021-06-25

The management of municipal solid always poses serious environmental problems on land, air, and groundwater, especially in the case of developing countries. The characterization and assessment of leachates are necessary to understand the water quality in the urban region as well as has enormous importance in sustaining the livelihoods of people in the riverine environment maintaining the ecological balance. Landfill leachate contains thousands of complex components, which contaminate the nearby water bodies, and communities with several hazardous ingredients. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of landfill leachates on the quality of Seti River water. The samples were collected from four stations (Tatopani, Ramghat, Landfill, Below landfill, and Kotre). The samples were analyzed for pH, total hardness, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, turbidity, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity (EC), Cl^-, NH_3, and PO₄^3- by standard methods. The pH and EC were measured in situ whereas other parameters were analyzed in the laboratory adopting standard protocols. The physicochemical parameters of river water and that of leachates were compared to monitor the level of contamination. The research reveals the landfill to have insignificant pollution of water on matching the parameters with World Health Organization (WHO) guideline values. Regular monitoring of the quality of river water and sustainable management of solid waste is essential for the ecological quality and integrity of the environment in the region. Scientific information obtained by this study could contribute to policymakers for the sustainable management of water quality and landfill in the downstream and urban segments of the river basins.

Features of small holder goat farming from Chitwan district of Bagmati province in Nepal

Alok Dhakal — 2021-06-25

An assessment was done to analyze the status of small scale goat production system in Chitwan, Nepal. A semi-structured questionnaire having both open ended and close ended questions were interviewed to 147 farmers (69 males, 78 females). The average goat holding was 5.48±0.15 head with female: male ratio of 6: 5. Mainly women folks in the household were involved in husbandry of the raised goats. In this research, we realized that goats were a valuable commodity for the community in the survey area. Grazing in public forest, fallow lands, tree leaves, shrubs and bushes were the main sources of feed for goats throughout the year. When inquired about vaccination, 92.51% of the farmers did not vaccinate their goats and were not aware about its importance. The high index obtained was for health care constraints, followed by feeding constraints, breeding constraints, miscellaneous and marketing constraints. The findings of this survey are not very encouraging as even from one of the developed parts of the country, small scale farmers raising goats seem to be struggling both in terms of technical and logistic inputs. There is need of awareness on improved care and management practices of goat.

Adoption status of improved production technology in rice cultivation in Kanchanpur, Nepal

Ankit Pokhrel — 2021-06-25

A study was carried out in 2020 to assess the scenario of the improved production technologies among rice growers in Kanchanpur and to identify the factors influencing the adoption of these technologies. The simple random sampling procedure was used to collect data from 90 respondents using a semi-structured interview schedule from Belauri, Bhimdutta municipality, and Beldandi rural municipality which are under the command area of the rice super zone, Kanchanpur. The information on prevailing cultural practice, production, and productivity, adoption of improved technology, problems/constraints faced by farmers in rice cultivation in the study area were collected from the farmers by interview. The data were processed, cleaned, and analyzed using software MS-excel and SPSS. The simple descriptive and inferential statistics like chi-square and binary logistic regression models were used to find the relationship between dependent and independent variables. Respondents adopted plant protection measures (chemical weed control, insects, and disease control) and seed treatment relatively less than they adopted recommended variety, Seed Replacement Rate (SRR), and storage treatment. The majority of the respondents were affiliated with the farmers’ groups but the majority of them had not received training. Furthermore, spade, hoe, tractor, thresher, sickle, wooden plough bullock cart water pumps, tillers, reapers were used by respondents. Binary logistic regression revealed that membership of agriculture group, advice from agriculture technician, training, visit of extension workers and rice cultivated land had a positive and significant effect on the adoption of various production practices. Inadequate availability of fertilizers and inputs (0.85), Inadequate training (0.68), inadequate machinery availability (0.54) were the major constraints faced by the farmers on rice cultivation.

Does adoption of agroforestry increase farm production and dietary diversity in the hills of Nepal?

Kanchan Kattel — 2021-06-25

There are few studies on the influence of agroforestry intervention in the farming and food system. We thus conducted this study to assess farm production diversity and household dietary diversity in the coffee-based agroforestry in Deusa village, Solukhumbu district, Nepal. This study collected data through questionnaire survey, food diary checklist for 24 hours diet recall, transect walk, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews. We compared farm production diversity and household dietary diversity scores between two agroforestry types - traditional and coffee-based. We used Pearson’s Chi-Square and Fisher’s Exact tests to assess the association between agroforestry type and 16 food groups wise consumption. Results showed that the farm production diversity is positively associated with the household dietary diversity. Among 16 food groups, households under coffee-based agroforestry system were more likely to consume dark green leafy vegetables (Chi square- 5.385; df=1; p<0.05), and descriptive statistics showed relatively higher consumption for most of the other food groups. It indicates that agroforestry intervention can be beneficial to improve farm production diversity and household dietary diversity in the longer run. Thus, agroforestry promotion is not only important in enhancing biodiversity and farm income but also equally vital in improving food and nutrition security for smallholders.

Assessment of zooplankton community in an anthropogenic-disturbance coastal creek, southwest Nigeria

Kayode James Balogun — 2021-06-25

In order to assess the zooplankton community in an anthropogenic-disturbance Badagry creek, Zooplankton and water samples were collected and analyzed bi-monthly from November 2011 to September 2013 in nine stations representing its three different zones using standard methods. Zooplankton was identified to species-level using relevant texts and counted under a Microstar IV Carl Zeiss binocular microscope calibrated at different magnifications. Diversity was determined using Shannon-Weiner (H), Simpson (1-D) and Evenness (e^H/S) indices. Water samples were analysed for temperature, pH, salinity, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, water depth and nitrate. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, cluster and Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) at α = 0.05. A total of 56 species comprising 26 species of rotifers, 15 species of arthropoda, 4 species of ciliophora, 3 species of cnidaria, and 2 species of ctenophora, foraminifera, mollusca, protozoa each, with an array of meroplankton / juvenile stages of the order copepod of subphylum crustacea were recorded. Diversity indices were highest (H = 2.20; 1-D = 0.80; e^H/S = 0.27) at station 6 and lowest in station 8 (H = 1.20; 1-D = 0.56) and station 1(e^H/S = 0.14). Salinity/conductivity, nitrate and water depth were significantly different (p < 0.05) among the study stations. CCA revealed salinity/conductivity and nitrate were the most important abiotic factors co-related with the zooplankton abundance in Badagry creek. The moderately low zooplankton communities’ diversity and abundance in Badagry creek point at different natural and anthropogenic factor impacts.

Elusive fish catch and vulnerable livelihoods: Status of fishing and fisheries industry among marine south coast communities of Kwale, Kenya

Okinyi B. Nyawade — 2021-06-25

The aim of this study was to examine the status in fishing and fisheries industry among marine coastal communities of Kwale along Kenyan coast. In this study, we used a cross-sectional descriptive survey design to examine trends in fish and fisheries resources productivity and diversity and the types of fishing vessels and gears used by fishermen among marine Kwale communities. Quantitative data was collected using household survey questionnaires among fisherfolk households randomly selected from two subcounties in Kwale. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were conducted on purposively sampled respondents to generate qualitative data to corroborate the quantitative survey data. Study established that fishing is still the principal source of livelihood, with 31% of people engaged in fishing as their main source of livelihood and being mainly artisanal fishers. There is a declining trend in fish productivity and diversity during the period 2014 to 2019. Out of all fisherfolks, 96.6% of fishers are commercial artisanal fishermen, selling their fish to different groups. The most preferred fishing vessel is wooden row boats (dhow) at 66.3% preference. There is a general decline in fish productivity within fishing grounds based on catches, indicated by 84.9% of the survey respondents. There is a general decline in fish abundance and diversity among coastal Kwale as indicated by 70.6% of respondents. Eleven (11) types of simple traditional fishing gears were identified, with majority (32%) of fishers preferring handline/hook (Mshipi) as their most preferred type of fishing gear. Destructive fishing gears such as spear guns are still in use despite the government regulations. This study concludes that fishing and fisheries resources among marine communities in Kwale of Kenyan coast is in a general declining trend in terms of productivity, abundance and diversity. This signals excess pressure on fishing resources, requiring immediate effective management strategies to contribute to sustainable marine ecosystems resources utilization. The study recommends enforcement of effective management strategies on fishing and fisheries resources through effective policy formulation and enforcement as well as awareness creation and a mind shift among communities towards alternative livelihood sources to reduce pressure on fish stock.

Growth, mortality and stock assessment of greenback mullet, Planiliza subviridis from northwest Arabian Gulf, Iraq

Abdul-Razak M. Mohamed — 2021-06-25

The growth, mortality and stock parameters of greenback mullet, Planiliza subviridis from Iraqi marine waters, northwest Arabian Gulf was assessed using FiSAT II software for length-frequency data collected from February 2020 to January 2021. P. subviridis is one of the species caught in large quantities as commercial by artisanal fishers. Fish samples were collected by the Shaheen steel-hulled dhow and from the artisanal fishermen. The total length and body weight relationship of fish was estimated as W= 0.034L^2.670, indicating negative allometric growth. Of 3350 specimens, growth and mortality parameters were evaluated. The asymptotic length (L∞), growth rate (K) and growth performance index (Ø') were 33.8 cm, 0.30 and 2.535, respectively. The total mortality rate (Z), natural mortality rate (M), and fishing mortality rate (F) were 1.11, 0.74 and 0.38, respectively. The present exploitation rate (E_present) of P. subviridis computed as 0.34. Length at first capture (L₅₀) was 17.47 cm. Recruitment of P. subviridis was observed throughout the year, with a peak during July. The yield per recruit analysis indicates that the current exploitation rate was below the biological target reference points (E_0.1and E_max), which refers to the stock of P. subviridis is underexploited. Virtual population analysis results showed that mid-lengths (16-22 cm) experienced the highest fishing mortality. The length at first capture (L₅₀) was higher than the length at first maturity (L_m) of the species. So, for management purposes, more yields could be obtained by increasing the fishing activities on this species for a substantial harvest.

Weed control efficacy of combined application of grass pea and mustard crop residues in T. aman rice

Showrav Ashraf — 2021-06-25

Among different methods of weed control, allelopathy could lead to reduced labor costs and increased efficiency, without any adverse effects on the environment. In this regard, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to evaluate the allelopathic potential of grass pea and mustard crop residues on weed suppression and crop performance of transplanted aman rice. The experiment consisted of three cultivars of T. aman rice viz., Binadhan-7, BRRI dhan49 and BR11 and five different level of crop residues such as no use of crop residues, grass pea crop residues @ 2.5 t ha^-1, mustard crop residues @ 2.5 t ha^-1, combined use of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha^-1of each and hand weeding. All crop residues applied in the experiment suppressed weed growth and inhibition at satisfactory level. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population, weed dry weight and percent inhibition of weed were not significantly influenced by the interaction effect of crop residues (grass pea and mustard) and cultivars. BR11 produced the highest grain and straw yield among the treatment combination. The highest numbers of tillers hill^-1, numbers of grains panicle^-1, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield were observed in hand weeding, followed by combined application of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha^-1of each treatment. The highest grain and straw yield (4.81 t ha^-1 and 7.65 t ha^-1) was observed in hand weeding along with variety BR11 and the second highest (4.19 t ha^-1 and 7.36 t ha^-1) was obtained from combined use of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha^-1of each. The results of this study indicate that hand weeding followed by combined application of grass pea and mustard crop residues @ 1 t ha^-1of each showed potential activity to suppress weed growth.

Concentration of Thiourea is effective in breaking the dormancy of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) varieties

Sambat Ranabhat — 2021-06-25

Potato germination is highly sensitive to ecological conditions. High altitude and low annual average temperature result in tuber dormancy and poor sprouting. Dormancy has become a significant constraint for lowering potato production, which hinders the possibility of growing two crop cycles per year. An experiment was conducted from February to April 2020. Two major potato varieties (Desiree and Cardinal) were treated with four Thiourea concentrations (0, 1, 2, and 3%) in a two factorial, completely randomized block design with three replications. Tubers were soaked for 2 hours in different Thiourea solution as per treatments, air dried until excess solution was removed and kept in a dark room on plastic trays. With the progress of experiment dormancy breaking and sprouting parameters like early sprouting, dormancy breaking, sprout length and sprout density were recorded. It was found that Thiourea has a significant effect on all observed attributes as per varieties of potato. For Desiree variety, Thiourea (1%) decreased dormancy period by 22 days compared to control (Desiree*Thiourea 0%) and produced the longest average sprout of 7.36cm at 49 days after treatment (DAT). On the other hand, for the Cardinal variety, Thiourea (3%) decreased tuber dormancy by 27 days compared to control (Cardinal*Thiourea 0%) and produced sprout of 7.75 cm at 49 DAT. In case of sprouts/tuber 1% and 3% Thiourea produced 4.13 and 1.91 sprouts/tubers in Desiree and Cardinal, respectively. The overall mean finding indicate that, 1% and 3% Thiourea concentration was significantly superior for breaking dormancy and enhancing sprouting of potato varieties of Desiree and Cardinal respectively.

Use of GreenSeeker and CM-100 as manual tools for nitrogen management and yield prediction in irrigated potato (Solanum tuberosum) production

Felix Satognon — 2021-06-25

This study evaluated the possibility of the use of GreenSeeker sensor and CM-100 chlorophyll content meter for in-season N and yield prediction in order to promote timely split N application in potato production in Kenya. Four N-fertilization rates; N₀(0), N₁(60), N₂(90) and N₃(130 kg N/ha) were led out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in a Greenhouse for two seasons. The results showed that % N leaf content was significantly affected by N rates. The % N leaf content and potato leaf chlorophyll content decreased as the season continued whereas the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) increased as the season continued. CM-100 values were significantly correlated with % N leaf content at vegetative (r=0.86***) and tuber initiation (r=0.74***) growth stages of the crop whereas the NDVI values were only significantly correlated with % N leaf at tuber initiation (r=0.82***). A significant relationship was found between CM-100 values taken at different potato stages (end of vegetative, tuber initiation, bulking and maturation stages) and tuber yield (r=0.90***, 0.82***, 0.47* and 0.41*). The NDVI values at end of vegetative growth, tuber initiation and maturation of potato were also significantly correlated with tuber yield (r=0.81***, 0.43* and 0.54*), except at bulking stage (r=0.33). For efficient in-season N management and yield prediction, CM-100 and GreenSeeker are recommended at an early stage of the crop. Further research in the different potato growing areas in Kenya to establish the different thresholds at different potato growth stages is recommended.

Impact of Rhizobium biofertilizer on agronomical performance of lentil (BARI Masur-6) in Bangladesh

Most. Farhana Begom — 2021-06-25

Excessive nitrogen fertilizer uses in crop field causes surface water pollution, which has a harmful effect on the ecosystem. The study was conducted to reducing the use of nitrogen fertilizers during cultivation of pulse crop and as an alternative to increase the use of biofertilizers. Rhizobium can fix atmospheric nitrogen to the soil; it can be used as an alternative to urea for the cultivation of lentil (BARI Masur-6). The Rhizobium leguminosarum was isolated from root nodules of lentil (Lens culinaris) plants and cultured in YEMA (Yeast Extract Mannitol Agar) media. The Rhizobium was screened on the ground of physiological, biochemical and environmental conditions. Different doses of urea fertilizers (20, 40, 60, 80 kg ha^-1) and liquid Rhizobium were used in experimental plots. The results indicated that biofertilizer with different chemical fertilizer performed higher than application of several level of urea nitrogen fertilizer in respect of plant height, number, chlorophyll content (µg cm^-1) and number of nodules plant^-1 with variety BARI Masur-6. There was optimum relative growth rate (RGR) also observed. The increase in urea nitrogen levels was the reason for the decline in relative plant growth. Yield and yield contributing characters like number of pod plant^-1, number of seed plant^-1, 1000-grain weight (g), grain yield (t ha^-1), straw yield and biological yield were significantly influenced by biofertilizer application. The assembled application of biofertilizer and chemical fertilizer produced maximum number of harvest index (%) compare to the chemical fertilizers. Significant correlation found with no of nodule, no of seed, seed weight, grain yield and straw yield. Significant correlation also found in chlorophyll content with some yield contributing characters like seed number, seed weight, grain yield and straw biomass. Further significant correlation observed between pod number and seed number, between seed weight and grain yield. Rhizobium can fulfill the alternate source of nitrogen that promoted significant growth and yield of lentil and it was much closer to the farmer’s conventional amount of urea.

A review on biochar as a potential soil fertility enhancer to agriculture

A. Kandel — 2021-03-25

Biochar is a carbon rich material produced from the pyrolysis of biomass at high temperature under oxygen deficit condition. It is recently introduced as one of the effective soil amendments with wide range of environmental benefits. This paper summarizes and discusses the effects of biochar on different soil parameters and crop productivity by reviewing scientific studies conducted around the globe. The benefit is derived especially from the improved soil physical and chemical properties through improvement in soil moisture content, soil bulk density, nitrogen uptake and availability and retention of other soil nutrients, but its effect is highly dependent on feedstocks used, pyrolysis temperature and soil types. It has been found to be more effective on infertile and degraded land. Further research is required to completely reveal the capacity of biochar in enhancing the soil characteristics.

Bio-fortified maize: Cornerstone in plant breeding to combat hidden hunger in developing countries

Damodar Gautam — 2021-03-25

Malnutrition has been one of the major global health problems mainly in underdeveloped and developing world causing massive economic damage as well as distressing human life. Deficiency of useful micronutrients like vitamins and minerals including low level of availability of better quality protein causes hidden hunger which can be alleviate with the help of genetic bio-fortification of crops. Besides all the challenges, biofortified maize crops like quality protein maize along with the provitamin A and Zn hold a great future to address the malnutrition challenge combating the deficiency of malnutrtients. This is the most sustainable, cost-effective and potentially wide-reaching approach which can bridge the gap between agriculture and nutrition. Biofortification can be achieved both by agronomic and genetic approaches. The Importance, genetics and potential of bio-fotification is thoroughly reviewed to provide useful findings for new readers and researchers.

Agroforestry for mountain development: Prospects, challenges and ways forward in Nepal

Kishor Atreya — 2021-03-25

Most of the agroforestry systems (AFS) in Nepal are traditional, and deliberate management of trees, crops and livestock as an integrated and interactive agroecosystem, albeit its enormous socio-economic and ecological benefits, is limited. The objective of this review paper is to understand the prospects, analyze challenges and suggest practical solution for promoting agroforestry as a viable system balancing economic, social and environmental concerns. We develop this paper based on practical experience on the ground and an in-depth review of relevant literature and highlights the prospects, challenges and ways forward of AFS, both farm-based and forest-based, in Nepal. Nepal has enormous agroecological diversity, suitable land availability for agroforestry, traditional knowledge, skill and labor forces, and huge prospects of adapting new technologies and developing market systems, especially considering emerging markets for developing remunerative and environment friendly value chains. However, the prospective value chains of the mountain agroforestry products face many challenges, including i) socio-economic constraints of the farmers mainly because of high initial adoption costs, limited information on benefit-cost of agroforestry practices, limited knowledge on full benefits of agroforestry, and limited markets and marketing information; ii) institutional constraints because of unclear policy to support agroforestry, the lack of extension services and undefined administrative boundaries; and iii) inadequate scientific knowledge, expertise and technologies to address management complexity of agroforestry system. We therefore suggest having a scan of those challenges and find out solutions, especially for promoting growth and competitiveness of the sector with poverty reduction strategy ensuring availability of food, fuel, fodder and employment opportunity for local communities. The paper provides a few successful cases of AFS and finally suggests ways forward to promote AFS and a business model which could help achieve the untapped potentials for enhancing income and employment opportunity, achieving food and nutrition security, and building sustainable land use systems.

A review on yield response to nitrogen, potassium and manure applications in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production

Hillary M.O. Otieno — 2021-03-25

Potato productivity has stagnated and remained low due to, among other causes, increasing soil infertility and poor nutrient management strategies. To avert this situation, it is essential to have a better understanding of potato response to nitrogen and potassium nutrients. Like other crops, potatoes require an adequate and balanced supply of nutrients for better growth and tuber yields. To achieve that, it is essential to conduct an extensive soil analyses for the entire farm. However, this process is expensive for most resource-constrained farmers. Moreover, the current recommendations used in the region are generic and focuses more on nitrogen than potassium. Hence, there is a need to focus on readily and freely available information for enhanced decision making. The assumption that the soils in the region are fertile and can supply adequate potassium is no longer valid, and now necessitates more actions such as adopting integrated soil fertility and precise application of nutrients within the 4R principles. All these aspects are well covered in this article. We believe the information presented in this manuscript is valuable and give a better foundation for future research and recommendations in potato production.

An overview of multifaceted role of Trichoderma spp. for sustainable agriculture

Sagar Bhandari — 2021-03-25

The excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides have caused several negative impacts on the environment and human health. They degrade soil fertility, build up resistance on pathogens, inhibit microbial activities and also enhance greenhouse gas emission. It is impossible and inappropriate to control plant pathogens by using chemical pesticides alone. Emphasize should be given towards organic fertilizers and pesticides to attain sustainability in agriculture. The use of Trichoderma is slowly increasing in the recent years among progressive farmers as an alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Slow rate of multiplication and colonization, susceptible to biotic and abiotic stresses, incomplete elimination of pathogens and high cost are the major problems behind its poor adoption among the farmers. To overcome these challenges different strains of Trichoderma should be identified which can multiply and colonize rapidly, least affected by environmental conditions and having wide host range on pathogens. In addition, farmers should be made aware about the importance of Trichoderma in agriculture through various extension facilities for its wide scale adoption. Trichoderma can be the viable and sustainable alternative which acts as biofertilizer, bioremediator and biocontrol agent. Nevertheless, the use of Trichoderma is limited on research activities and its application at farmers' level is not yet satisfactory. Thus, this study based on critical analysis of the research works from worldwide researchers aims to reveal the present scenario of the use of Trichoderma, its importance, modes of action, methods of application and multiplication, challenges for wide scale adoption and its appropriate solutions.

Assessment of nitrate, phosphate and sulphate levels in wastewater from Muhammad Ayuba dam in Kazaure, Jigawa state, Nigeria

S.O. Oladeji — 2021-03-25

In the continuation of the evaluation of the physicochemical parameters of wastewater of Muhammad Ayuba dam in Kazaure, Nigeria, this investigation was carried out for the assessment of certain nutrients parameters i.e., nitrate, phosphate and sulphate that are primarily responsible for the eutrophication. This investigation was conducted during November, 2019 to January, 2020 (Harmattan season) to measure the content of nitrate, phosphate and
sulphate ions in the wastewater collected from Muhammad Ayuba dam. During the study, standard techniques were used to determine the content of nitrate, phosphate and sulphate using spectrophotometer at specific wavelengths in determination of parameter of interests. The results obtained indicated that the concentrations were in the range of 78.50 – 88.40 mg/L for nitrate, 55.70 – 62.40 mg/L for phosphate and 91.40 – 100.20 mg/L for sulphate ions, respectively. The contents of nitrate, phosphate and sulphate in the wastewater exceeded the limit set by FAO/WHO for these anions in wastewater with exception of sulphate ions that was below the limit. Pearson correlation (r = 0.484) of the different anions indicated that their level of contamination might be traced to the same source means runoff from fertilizer application. Therefore, the water of the dam is majorly polluted with domestic wastes and absolutely rich in sulphate ions especially detergents from nearby houses. The study also revealed gradual accumulation of anions in the wastewater of the dam suggested more pronounced pollution in it. Thus, regular monitoring of these ions must be required to evaluate their environmental impacts and possible potential risks.

Evaluation of road traffic noise in terms of acoustic comfort on sidewalks at ring road of Konya-Istanbul, Turkey

Ahmet Akay — 2021-03-25

Walking is an activity that can be easily done by many people in urban spaces even in short periods. The most common areas of walking in urban spaces are the sidewalks. In order for pedestrians to travel comfortably in these areas, acoustic comfort should be fulfilled. This study aims to seek an answer to the question of “Can accurate results be obtained by using an alternative method which is more efficient in terms of time, energy, and cost, in noise measurement studies?”. In this study, minimum and maximum noise measurements were made in three different time periods during the day on a part of D300 ring road in Selçuklu district, Konya province, Turkey. The obtained data were subjected to reliability analysis, unreliable data according to Cronbach's Alpha coefficient were not included in the calculations. The reliable data were evaluated in terms of compliance status according to the “Assessment and Management Regulations of Environmental Noise”. As a result of this study, it was determined that even the recorded minimum noise values have a very high potential in terms of exceeding the limit values stated in the related regulations. The results of this study showed that more efficient results can be obtained in terms of time, energy, and cost by the way of short-term (momentary) measurements, compared to the long-term (time-weighted) noise measurements.

Growth and yield of Bangi (Cucumis melo L.) in charland agriculture affected by micronutrients

A.K.M. Golam Sarwar — 2021-03-25

Bangi (Cucumis melo L.) is an important short duration summer fruit crop, it is rich in vitamins and minerals, facilitated to protect from hidden hunger. To expedite the growth attributes and fruit yield of Bangi through micronutrient application for the Charland Agriculture, an experiment was conducted at the farmer’s (Charland) field in two locations viz., Sadar and Belkuchi upazilas of Sirajgong district, Bangladesh. The crop was cultivated following farmer’s management practices in mada(s)/pits (spacing 3.5 m × 3.5 m) in RCBD design with 3 replications. Two fertilizer doses as control (farmers practice; cow dung + NPK) and improved practice (farmers practice + micronutrients), were used as experimental treatments. The application of micronutrients enhanced plant length and other growth descriptors and fruit yield as well; however, locations did not affect the studied descriptors except the number of secondary branches plant^–1 and leaf characters. The plant length varied from 148.6 cm to 321.7 cm, the fruit yield (number plant^–1) almost quadrupled and size more than double due to improved practice (with micronutrients) resulting in 4–5 times increase the farmer's profit compared to conventional (farmers) practices. Further research on the effect of micronutrients on nutritional quality enhancement (Biofortification) and self-life is suggested for better understanding and nutritional quality improvement processes of Bangi through nutrient management.

Competitiveness of banana value chain along Hetauda-Dumkibas road corridor, Nepal: An eclectic approach

Manoj Sharma — 2021-03-25

Government of Nepal has announced a super-zone of banana in Chitwan district and a block in Nawalparasi East district to enhance productivity and commercialization of banana subsector in the Hetauda-Dumkibas road corridor. This study is the first of its kind to analyze the competitive position of banana value chains in the corridor. Using the literature review approach, the paper generated a conceptual framework to assess competitiveness of value chain. A total of 160 producers, 22 traders, 3 wholesale commission agents and 10 agrovets were selected using stratified random sampling method. The pretested semi-structured questionnaires surveys, focused group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted to collect primary data and analyzed using STATA and MS Excel. The study revealed two value chain streams in the corridor- one in Chitwan district and another in Nawalparasi East district. Most of the structure indicators were found similar for both value chain streams. Banana market was monopolistically competitive along both chains. Producers of Chitwan district were more competitive than Nawalparasi East because of their higher benefit cost ratio and higher farm gate price for fingers. The reasons for this were relatively better institutional set up contributing to extension, insurance and training services, and better technological adoption rate in Chitwan district. In addition, the chain stream of Nawalparasi East had relatively lower marketing cost and higher market margin, market efficiency and value addition. The reasons for this were shorter chains and low level of transportation cost. Thus, policy efforts to strengthen local institutions providing extension, training, insurances, market information and credits are recommended to improve the performance of the value chain. In addition, encouraging processing and value addition of bananas should be of concern to development practitioners and policy makers.

Ripening quality of banana cv. Amritasagor through application of different ripening agents

Tamanna Yasmin — 2021-03-25

Desirable ripened quality banana fruits are important for the consumer acceptability. Banana cv. Amritasagar was treated with different ripening agents like control (R₁), Ripestuff^TM @ 42 mg/10 mL water (R₂), Ripestuff^TM @ 84 mg/10 mL water (R₃), Ethephone @ 200 ppm (R₄) and Ethephone @ 400 ppm (R₅); and storage durations were 24 h (H₁), 48 h (H₂), 72 h (H₃), and 96 h (H₄). The two factors experiment was conducted with complete randomized design with three replications. Fruits were placed in container (RFL). With the progress of storage duration quality parameters like weight loss (%), peel color, pulp to peel ratio, softness, total soluble solids (TSS), and pH were recorded. Fruits treated with R₃ and R₅ produced uniform yellow color and the highest softness at 96 h. Whereas banana fruits treated with R₂ developed peel colour and softness a bit slower compared to other treatments; and untreated fruits (control) were hard, poor in color and quality, and were not suitable for consumption at 96 h. The highest TSS (%) were found at 72 h treated with R₅ and at 96 h with R₅including R₃, and R₄showed the mostly similar TSS (%). Thus, Ripestuff^TM @ 84 mg/10 mL water (R₃) and ethephon @ 400 ppm (R₅) can be used maintaining quality and ripening banana for better price of banana growers and traders through avail it at earlier marketing and reduced postharvest loss.

Optimization of dietary protein level for good aquaculture practice based carp fattening in ponds under drought prone area of Bangladesh

Md. Anwar Hossain — 2021-03-21

Good aquaculture practice (GAP) based carp fattening is a potential technique to obtain higher and safe fish production within shorter period in ponds of drought prone area. Sustainability of this technique, however, is constrained by high feed cost and poor water quality. Therefore, as an overcoming effort, three diets (protein content of 20%, 25% and 30%) under three different treatments (T₁, T₂ and T₃) were tested during January-June, 2020 in fattening ponds of carps (Catla, Gibelion catla; silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix; rohu, Labeo rohita; mrigal, Cirrhinus cirrhosis; and carpio, Cyprinus carpio var. specularis) under Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. Variation in protein level had no significant effect on environmental parameters of pond water. Combined fish yield was found to vary significantly (P<0.05) among the treatments, while feed conversion ratio did not vary significantly. Although second degree polynomial regression analysis identified 28.50% dietary protein for optimal growth of carps but no significant difference between T₂ and T₃ was found for the total fish yield. However, significantly (P<0.05) highest cost-benefit ratio obtained with the diet containing 25% protein suggested this protein level in diet was profitable for carp fattening in pond.

Determining the rate of blended fertilizers and urea for potato production under rainfed condition in Jeldu, West Showa, Ethiopia

Egata Shunka — 2021-03-25

This experiment was conducted to determine the rate of blended fertilizers and urea for potato production under rainfed condition in Jeldu, West Showa, Ethiopia. Different fertilizer treatments viz., 150 kg ha^-1 NPSB+80 kg ha^-1 urea, 250 kg ha^-1 NPSB+80 kg ha^-1 urea, 350 kg ha^-1 NPSB+80 kg ha^-1 urea, 150 kg ha^-1 NPSB+140 kg ha^-1 urea, 250 kg ha^-1 NPSB+140 kg ha^-1 urea, 350 kg ha^-1 NPSB+140 kg ha^-1 urea, 150 kg ha^-1 NPSB +200 kg ha^-1 urea, 250 kg ha^-1 NPSB +200 kg ha^-1 urea and 350 kg ha^-1 N+200 kg ha^-1 urea was used for the production of Belete and Gudenie potato varieties (cv. Jeldu Wereda) during 2018-2019 using RCBD factorial arrangement in three replication. This study revealed that there was a highly significant difference between the yield and yield components of potato due to the main effect of fertilizer rates. The interaction did not significantly affect any parameter of potato during the study. The highest total and marketable yields (22.95 t ha^-1 and 20.06 t ha^-1), respectively were harvested from 350 kg ha^-1 NPSB+200 kg ha^-1 urea though not significantly different from total and marketable yield of 250 kg ha^-1 NPSB+200 kg ha^-1 urea (22.08 and 19.14 t ha^-1) and 350 kg ha^-1 + 140 kg ha^-1 urea (21.65 and 18.84 t ha^-1), respectively. The partial budget analysis indicated that the highest benefit (64,916.00ETB) was fetched from 350 kg ha^-1 NPSB+200 kg ha^-1 urea followed by 250 kg ha^-1 NPSB+200 kg ha^-1 urea (63,004.00ETB) while the highest marginal rate of return (19,430.00%) was recorded from 250 kg ha^-1 NPSB+200 kg ha^-1 followed by 150 kg ha^-1 NPSB+200 kg ha^-1 urea (17,000.00%). From this, it can be concluded that the NPSB+ urea rates highly significantly affected the yield and yield component of potato. Thus, 250 kg ha^-1 urea+200 kg ha^-1 urea can be used for high yield and high economic return of potato in Jeldu district.

Effects of compost quality from non-dairy creamer sewage sludge-solid compost biogas-rice husk char on bok choy mustard (Brassica rapa L.)

Kurniawan Andrianto — 2021-03-25

Non-dairy creamer sewage sludge (NDCSS) has high organic matter and nutrients for compost production but NDCSS has a problem for the composting process because it has high moisture and slurry form. Therefore, the composting process of NDCSS requires mixing of other organic materials such as solid compost biogas (SCB) and rice husk char (RHC). Therefore, this study aims to determine the chemical properties of compost from a mixture combination of NDCSS, SCB, and RHC, and to assess compost quality as organic fertilizer from a mixture combination of NDCSS, SCB, and RHC through growth and yield of bok choy mustard (Brassica rapa L). Experiments were carried out in greenhouses from March to September 2019. The research treatment consisted of 7 treatments mixture combination of NDCSS, SCB, and RHC for the composting process, and each treatment was repeated 4 times. The composting process is carried out by anaerobic or fermentation methods. The research layout was used as a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The NDCSS can produce compost with the highest N content, while the RHC will produce compost with the highest P. The mixture combination of NDCSS, SCB, RHC, and the mixture combination of SCB and RC will produce compost with the highest K content. Compost from NDCSS produces the best organic fertilizer because it is able to make the best biomass wet weight and dry weight of bok choy mustard biomass.

Article Retracted: Estimation of soil carbon stock in some wetlands of the northeastern region of Bangladesh

Md. Shiful Islam — 2021-02-13

This article has been retracted due to authorship dispute among original authors.

A review on status, implications and recent trends of forest fire management

Varun Attri — 2020-12-25

Forest fire spread out in an area having combustible material in the summer season with high temperature. It burns the area and looks like a misery. Forest fire is one of the factors that severely affects the forest biodiversity. Burning actions in a forest affects not only flora and fauna but also soil properties changed due to the forest fire. In summer season on sloppy topography forest fire originates in tropical forests. While in coniferous forests, forest fire outbreaks during the resin extraction activities. More than 350 million hectares (ha) was estimated to be affected by vegetation fires globally. In India about 55% of forest area is prone to the fire. Fires can be natural or man- made, but manmade fire affects mostly. Several forest types and areas are more susceptible to forest fires because of suitable weather, topography and inflammable material. Forest fires adversely affect the soil, water, flora and fauna and disrupt the ecological functions. The new advances in fire control are remote sensing and GIS where real time information can be gathered about the fire break and immediate follow can be done. The chemicals (as borate, ammonium sulfate and ammonium biphosphate) are used for fire control and various other types of fire retardants are used to keep the fire under control. Forest fire changes the composition of vegetation, extinction of species, development of the various adaptations in unwanted plants. Nutrient cycle and soils are affected. Frequent forest fire events cause global warming. Forest fire needed to be controlled at initial stage and the large fires should not be allowed to occur, the modern techniques of monitoring, detection and control must be used for avoiding the large fires happenings.

Integrated pest management of fall armyworm infestations in maize fields in Nepal: A review

Sushil Khatri — 2020-12-25

Spodoptera frugiperda, commonly known as Fall Armyworm (FAW), is amongst the most terrifying pests of maize in Latin America, which unexpectedly appeared in Nepal in 2019 and spread expeditiously. Estimates of maize crop losses due to this pest are vital in order to compare the effect of these losses with the convenient of controlling FAW and suggest pertinent controlling technology and methods. Nepal is predominantly an agrarian nation thus, maize is grown substantially. However, climatic conditions of Nepal favor the outbreaks of pests such as FAW in many maize grown areas. On the grounds that most of the people of hill and mountainous regions depend on maize for their staple food, pests have appeared to be a great threat to cereal production. It causes considerable injuries to maize by feeding on leaf whorls, ears and tassel which often leads to total yield loss. Yet, agriculture is an economic activity, even among subsistence farmers in Nepal. Seeing high potential losses caused by FAW, different control methods have been proposed. This pest demands meticulous and stepwise plan for its management. This review emphasized on adoption of IPM methods of pests’ control, which is the integration of biological, cultural, physical, chemical, and technological approaches. Meanwhile, early warning systems, though poorly developed in Nepal, can be highlighted for further studies and for further research work.

A review on impact of inflation on economic growth in Nepal

Seema Karki — 2020-12-25

This study shows that there is no consensus on the relationship between inflation and economic growth in economic literature. The answer to whether inflation is generally conducive or detrimental to economic growth is still inconclusive. Various arguments have been put forward on both sides. It is generally believed that a low and stable inflation rate helps economic activities, while high inflation hurts growth. The study finds overwhelming support in favor of the specific threshold level of inflation that is appropriate for growth in Nepal. Several studies on this subject have found the threshold value of inflation to be around 6 per cent for Nepal. Inflation is harmful to the economy after certain rate of threshold. Therefore, it is necessary to control inflation in order to address poverty as well as economic growth. Policies need to be put in place to keep inflation target range around the optimum inflation rate to accelerate the pace of economic growth rate and ensure that the negative effect inflation has on economic growth is minimized.

Fish sanctuary as a sustainable management tool for recovering fish biodiversity, production and livelihood: A case study on Halti Beel tank sanctuary, Bangladesh

Md. Abu Bakar Siddique — 2020-12-25

Fish sanctuary is a common tool for retrieving fisheries diversity in a threatened aquatic ecosystem. The present study highlighted a case study on sustainable management of Halti Beel tank sanctuary, Bangladesh (a part of Chalan Beel) established for the betterment of fisheries and fishermen community. The study was conducted for a period of 6 months from July to December 2017. Both primary and secondary data was used for a comparison before and after effects of Halti Beel tank sanctuary considering three parameters viz., fisheries diversity, production trends and socio-economic condition of fishermen community. During the study period, diversity in both native and exotic fish species (71) were increased where 62 species were native and 9 were exotic under 26 families of 11 orders. This number (71) was observed 97.22% higher than the number of species before declaring Halti Beel tank as fish sanctuary. Recovery rate was observed highest for the order Siluriformes (11) and the lowest for Channiformes (1). Cypriniformes was the most diversified order with 24 species (18 native and 6 exotic species). The observed data showed a dramatic increase in fish production from 8.77 to 37.50 metric ton within four fiscal years whereas the gradual production trend was recorded 10.12, 29.47, 35.10 and 37.50 metric ton, respectively in the year 2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2014-2015 and 2016-2017. The study was also showed a satisfactory improvement in financial and housing assets as socio-economic status of fishermen community involved in the management of Halti Beel tank sanctuary.

Evaluation of lures for monitoring the population of thrips and whitefly in the major horticultural crops in Nepal

Ankit Soti — 2020-12-25

Field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of whitefly and thrips lure in yellow stick traps in major horticultural crops in IRD station, Dahachowk & Nala, Nepal. This experiment was carried out from June to September, 2019. Six major horticultural crops have been selected. In each cropping area yellow sticky traps with whitefly lure, yellow sticky traps with thrips lure and yellow sticky traps only has been setup. Weekly data of insects has been recorded with the help of hand lens. In yellow sticky traps wide range of insects whitefly, thrips, leaf miner, winged aphids, housefly, fungus gnats, fruit fly, Tuta absoluta whereas, some beneficial insects as bee, wasp, beetle has been monitored. Analysis of variance was carried out as per the procedures given in R-STATC statistical computer package for the paired two T- tests. Thrips lure has shown significant result against thrips whereas whitefly lure doesn’t show any notable effects against whitefly over yellow sticky traps. Further research on such lure will be valuable for the farmers in different agro-climatic locations of the country for validation.

Suitability of groundwater quality for irrigation in and around the main Gadilam river basin on the east coast of southern India

R. Ravi — 2020-12-25

The main intent of this study was to investigate the condition of groundwater quality for irrigation purposes in and around the main Gadilam river basin, the east coast of southern India. A total of fifty groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for various parameters such as electrical conductivity (EC), pH, TDS, major cations (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺) and anions (SO₄^2-, Cl^-, HCO₃^-, and NO₃^-). Irrigation water quality parameters like the sodium absorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium carbonate (RSC), percentage sodium (%Na), magnesium hazard (MH), permeability index (PI), and Kelly ratio (KR) were computed to assess the irrigation water quality of groundwater. Furthermore, graphical representation diagrams such as USSL, Wilcox, and Doneen have been prepared for irrigation water quality. From the computation of SAR, Na%, RSC, PI, and KR values, it was found that 100% of groundwater samples were found to be suitable for irrigation purposes. Besides, USSL and Doneen diagrams show that the samples are safe for irrigation usage. The Wilcox diagram in the classification of electrical conductivity reveals that most samples fall into the good to permissible class (78%), in doubtful to unsuitable class (20%), and 2% of samples are unsuitable. Magnesium hazards of 82% of the groundwater samples are suitable for irrigation, while the remaining 18% of the samples exceeded the limit and found to be unsuitable for irrigation purposes. The study concludes that higher percentages of groundwater samples were suitable for irrigation purposes in the study area, and the concentration of magnesium influenced groundwater at a few locations.

Effects of COVID-19 induced pandemic on the production, trade, and income of smallholder vegetable growers in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal

Nirmal Gadal — 2020-12-25

This study assessed the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on production, trade and income of smallholder vegetables growers in the Kathmandu valley, Nepal. We made a scenario-based situation analysis of pre-COVID (January to March 2020) and COVID-19 pandemic induced lockdown (April to June 2020) situations. The study used a descriptive research design and employed multistage sampling techniques. One hundred forty-five vegetable growers were surveyed and six focus group discussions were carried out between May to July 2020 in the three municipalities- Chandragiri, Mahalaxmi and Changunarayan of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts respectively. The study showed that the income of smallholders' vegetable growers was decreased by 66.1 percent due to an increase in input price (16.9 percent), a decrease in output price (62.67 percent), and low farm productivity (9.3 percent) in comparison with the pre-COVID period. This paper has figured out the impact pathways that caused the income decline of vegetable growers. The primary constraints to smallholder producers were the absence of local aggregators followed by transportation barriers, limited market opening hours, and mobility obstruction and changed consumers' behavior due to lockdown. Majority of the farmers adjusted to the situations by selling their products at lower prices, free distribution to the local inhabitants, and composting and dumping the surpluses. The study concluded that this kind of analysis is necessary to develop resilient supply chains and extend appropriate support to the smallholder farmers who are critical actor to the supply chains.

Performance on postharvest quality of late season cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis L.) varieties in Terai region of Nepal

Hom Nath Giri — 2020-12-25

The experiment was conducted at Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Nepal during the November 2016 to March 2018 for two consecutive years to assess the characteristics on postharvest quality of late season cauliflower varieties. The experiment was laid in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with the eleven late season cauliflower varieties viz., Freedom, Titan, Ravella, Amazing, Artica, Bishop, Casper, Indam 9803, NS 106, Snow Mystique, and Snowball 16, each replicated with four times. Significantly higher TSS value of 5.7º Brix was produced by Snowball 16 than other varieties. Considerably higher vitamin C of 49 mg/100 g was found in Amazing than other varieties. Significantly lower physiological loss in weight of 5.3%, 9.6% and 15.6% was found in Artica at three, six and nine days after harvesting, respectively. Higher score for the taste of curd was 8.8 in Snowball 16 followed by Amazing while lower score for taste of the curd was 4.8 in Indam 9803 variety. The attractive color and more compact curd score of 8.4 was found in both Titan and Artica than other varieties. Therefore, it can be concluded that Snowball 16 and Amazing varieties were the best open pollinated varieties for taste of the curd and composition of chemical constitutes. Bishop, Snow Mystique, NS 106, Artica and Titan varieties were other probable hybrid varieties based on their overall postharvest characteristics.

Evaluation of different weed management practices in dry direct seeded spring rice at Baniyani, Jhapa, Nepal

Rakshya Poudel — 2020-12-25

A field experiment was conducted during the spring season of 2020 to evaluate the different weed management practices in dry directed seeded spring rice under Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project (PMAMP) super zone at Baniyani, Jhapa. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven weed management related treatments and three replications. The treatments consisted of pre-emergence application of Pretilachlor, pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin, pre-emergence application of Pretilachlor fb post-emergence butachlor pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin fb post-emergence Bispyribac Na, Sesbania co-culture along with pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin along with two control treatments (weedy free and weedy check). The rice variety Hardinath-1 was used in the experiment. Data regarding the weed flora, weed density, weed dry weight, growth, yield attributes and yield were recorded and analyzed. The highest number of effective tillers per m² (371.51) and number of grains per panicle (145.43) were obtained in Pendimethalin treated plot and were statistically as par with Sesbania co-culture + Pendimethalin (363.44 m^-2 and 140.54 respectively). Higher and statistically similar grain yield was observed in Sesbania co- culture + Pendimethalin (4870kg ha^-1) and Pendimethalin treated plots (4780 kg ha^-1). The experiment concluded that there was reduction in yield by 66.78 percent due to presence of weed as compared to weed free. Pre-emergence application of Pendimethalin was most beneficial in terms of gross returns, net returns and B:C ratio compared to other weed management practices and hence was most economical.

Qualitative detection of different enzymes from the gut and salivary glands of Nezara viridula Linn. using the chemical inference

Jitendra Rajak — 2020-12-25

Globally the crop insect pests damage the 30% of agriculture production due to insect spoil, and the situation is very awful in particularly developing countries such as India. There are large number of insect pest families are well known which induce the critical destroy to agriculture crops. Crop insect pest’s harm is one of the significant features that ruin the agriculture crop productivity, although the large-scale utilization of chemical pesticides. The successfulness of the pesticides depends upon the interaction of chemicals with the physiology of the insect of the pests. In India, the Nezara viridula Linn, is one of the critical insects because of its destructive feeding on major crop which is the utmost source of economic deprivation in agriculture. The enzymes present in the gut and salivary glands of the N. Viridula play key role in the feeding behaviour. Presently very little is investigated about the gut and salivary glands of the N. Viridula at minute level. We first time investigated the different enzymes existing in the gut and salivary gland using the chemical inference. This research work is carried out to analysis the enzymes for digestive and feeding behaviour of N. Viridula which will assist the biologists to manage the challenges are created by their resistance to the traditional chemical insecticides used for prevention of N. Viridula (a type of southern green stink bug) inhabitants and high reproductive amplitude. The extensive statistics of invertase enzymes, maltase, alpha galactosidase, amylase, esterase, proteinase and polypeptidase enzymes for the N. Viridula in salivary glands and gut inspired by this research imparts supplementary resource for further understanding of the biology of this Pentatomidae (Heteroptera) species.

Biomass and carbon approximation model on burnt peatland in Eks- Milion Ha, Central Kalimantan Province of Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2020-12-25

Forest and land fires will lead to the loss of forest ecosystems, loss of forest biomass and the sustainability of forests. After the event of fire whether an ecosystem will improve the forest and its environment. The study is intended to calculate biomass and carbon stocks in secondary natural forests that burn after 10 years and determine the model of biomass estimation and carbon stocks in secondary forests that burn after 10 years. This research was conducted on burnt peatlands in the Ex Million ha of Central Kalimantan Province of Indonesia. The research method used is the analysis of vegetation and destructive sampling on forest biomass that grows on burning peatlands. The result showed that biomass content of secondary natural forest formed after peat burns > 10 years in 466.2 ton / ha of and carbon content of 264.4 ton / ha. The estimation of biomass in secondary natural forest formed after peat burn> 10 years log is B = - 0.127 + 1.83 log D (B = 0.746 D ^1.83) R²: 87.5 % and carbon estimation is log K = - 0.506 + 1.92 log D (K = 0.312 D ^1.92) R²: 85.7 %. In the location of the burnt peat swamp forest there has been a succession of secondary forest and the equation model obtained in the study can be used to estimate biomass and carbon content.

Efficiency of Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) based sewage treatment plant and its discharge impact on Dal Lake, Jammu & Kashmir, India

Mukesh Ruhela — 2020-12-25

Dal Lake is the second largest and most beautiful Lake in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and is the major centre of tourist activities. Due to the continuous increase in the population, the generation of domestic wastewater also increased. The present study was carried out to assess the efficiency of Sequential Batch Reactor (SBR) based Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) located at Brari Numbal and its discharge impact on the physicochemical properties of Dal Lake. The sample was collected from the selected sampling sites (inlet and outlet of SBR based STP, upstream, confluence zone, and downstream of Dal Lake) for five months (November 2019 to March 2020) and analysed using the standard methodologies. The plant shows maximum removal efficiency for BOD (79.85%) although the effluent BOD was found above the standard limit. The minimum removal efficiency of the plant was observed in the case of pH (3.46%). The gain in the case of DO was observed +851.55%. All the sites of Dal Lake were found polluted but the confluence zone and downstream were more polluted in comparison to the upstream due to the discharge of STP outlet into Dal Lake with higher BOD and COD (21.39% increase in BOD, 43.29% increase in COD; 80.10% increase in iron, 65.61% increase in ammonical nitrogen, and 101% increase in phosphate concentration). Besides this, discharge of the huge quantity of untreated wastewater from the city into the lake is also responsible for the degraded water quality of Dal Lake. It can be concluded that efficiency of the plant was in moderate condition and it needs further modifications. This is the first study showing the impact of SBR-STP effluent on Dal Lake.

A study on consumer preferences towards duck meat in Mymensingh city of Bangladesh

Tasnim Haque — 2020-12-25

This paper examined the consumer preferences of duck meat in Mymensingh city of Bangladesh. The aim of the study was to find out how much people like or dislike to consume duck meat and what amount do they consume. Purposive sampling technique was carried out among 80 consumers of duck meat. A five-point Likert scale was used to measure consumers attitudes towards duck meat and Discriminative Power (DP) value was computed to find out the lowest and the highest variability of responses. Nearly no study related to the preferences of duck meat consumption was conducted before in the selected study area. The findings of this study revealed that 63.75% consumers disfavored duck meat and 30% consumers favored it. Results indicated that the majority of the consumers strongly agreed that dressing slaughtered duck is complex and duck meat is nutritious and delicious. The highest variability in consumers responses was to statement, “duck meat can be used in any occasion. And the
lowest variability of responses was to the statement that, “duck meat is very fatty” as almost all the respondents agreed. Therefore, it can be concluded that consumers showed unfavorable attitudes towards duck meat consumption. The reason behind this disfavoring attitude were allergy, asthma and seasonal pattern of duck meat consumption. This means that the respondents showed differentiated response, when they were responding on the statement that duck meat can be used in any occasion while the respondents were somewhat in differentiated while they were responding that the duck meat is very fatty. Traditionally duck is consumed in winter season in Bangladesh. That’s why, the year-round consumer preferences including warmer seasons resulted in lower total year-round preferences.

Evaluation of the trophic status of Sillago sihama and Sillago arabica at the south of Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq

Abdul-Razak M. Mohamed — 2020-12-25

The present study is investigated the diet composition, feeding activity and intensity, and trophic niche breadth of two Sillaginid fish, Sillago sihama and Sillago arabica at the south of the Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq from May 2019 to April 2020. A total of 511 specimens of fish comprised of 239 S. sihama and 272 S. arabica were used for the study. Fish length ranged from 11.7-23.7 and 13.0- 31.2 cm of the previous species, respectively. The results showed that the feeding activity and intensity influenced by months since the lowest stomach fullness occurred during the winter months. The analysis of diet for both species using the index of relative importance (IRI %) of prey items showed that the species were carnivores. The prey items of S. sihama were crabs (80.8%), shrimp (14.6%) and fish (4.6%), while the diet of S. arabica composed mainly on crabs (54.3%), shrimp (32.7%) and fish (13.0%). The overall values of feeding and vacuity indices were 40.4% and 9.5%, respectively for S. sihama, whereas 52.0% and 18.2%, respectively for S. arabica. Based on the results of trophic niche breadth indicate that S. schema is a high specialist feeder (B_i= 0.23), while S. arabica was considered a non-specialized feeder (B_i= 0.71). The study concludes that both species were carnivorous feeders, feeding mainly on crabs, shrimp and fish. S. sihama was a low specialized feeder, while S. arabica was not specialized.

Laboratory testing for COVID-19 in suspected human cases and the impact of corona virus pandemic on the global health system

Debashis Mania — 2020-12-25

COVID-19, coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become pandemic after first appearing in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It destroyed the life of millions of people throughout the different parts of Europe, America, Asia and others in the world. Various groups of scientists throughout the globe have claimed on trialing for the corona vaccine and for finding out suitable medication for the treatment of COVID-19. No vaccine or medicines are successfully reported to short out the issue for saving the valuable life of human beings, till date. The mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection and organ invasion are not understood and it creates difficulty in clinical diagnosis and treatment of corona patients. The pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection is not very much clear and it may invade multiple organ systems of respiratory, digestive and hematological in a confirmed case. The impact of corona virus outbreak on the global and Indian health systems is also reviewed herewith.

Pesticide use in agriculture and chronic health conditions: A survey-based cross-sectional study in Nepal

Kishor Atreya — 2020-12-25

The long-term (mis)use of chemical pesticides in agriculture may cause chronic health conditions. The study aimed to assess the relationship between pesticide use in agriculture and chronic health conditions of farmers. The study was done in two adjoining villages in Kavrepalanchok district of Nepal: Mahadevsthan having high application rates and long history of the use of pesticides in the agriculture; and Nayagaun - relatively low rates and a short history of the use of pesticides. Data was collected through household surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions, ‘door-to-door’ physical health examination, and free medical health camps. We performed an independent sample t-test and Poisson regression in data analysis. The findings showed higher prevalence rates of chronic health conditions in Mahadevsthan compared to Nayagaun. We also observed a significant positive association between pesticide use history and chronic health conditions. The incidence rate for multiple chronic conditions increased by a factor of 1.296 for an additional year of pesticide use. We, however, recommend in-depth longitudinal cohort studies for further examination of the relationship.

Evaluation of physicochemical parameters in wastewater from Muhammad Ayuba dam in Kazaure, Jigawa state, Nigeria

S.O. Oladeji — 2020-12-25

Evaluation of physicochemical parameters namely alkalinity, biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), hardness, pH and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the wastewater samples collected from Muhammad Ayuba dam in Kazaure, Nigeria. The study was conducted during harmattan season for a period of three months from November, 2019 – January, 2020. All the parameters were analysed using conventional methods. The results showed their concentrations were in the range of 1.00 – 1.50 mg/L for alkalinity, 3.00 – 3.45 mg/L for BOD, 12.45 – 24.00 mg/L for COD, 745 – 1200 µS/cm for conductivity, 5.50 – 6.30 mg/L for DO, 1.82 – 2.45 mg/L for hardness, 7.20 – 7.90 for pH and 410 – 440 mg/L for TDS. The concentrations of these parameters in the wastewater were observed less than World Health Organization (WHO) tolerance limits with exception of electrical conductivity that was above 1000 µS/cm after four weeks of investigation. This study revealed gradual build-up of various ions in the dam water due to the mixing of contaminated wastewater from the adjacent community. Therefore, the periodical monitoring of different physicochemical parameters of the dam water should put in place as to evaluate their environmental impacts and possible potential risks.

Effect of integrated nutrient management on the growth and yield of boro rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars

Swarna Chakraborty — 2020-12-25

For sustainable boro rice production in Bangladesh, a balanced fertilization to improve the current soil condition caused by mono-application of inorganic fertilizers and appropriate rice variety selection are very crucial. Therefore, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, during the boro season of December 2016 to May 2017 to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management on two boro rice cultivars. The varieties were BRRI dhan28 and BRRI dhan29 and eight kinds of nutrient management viz., control (no fertilizers), recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers (120-60-40 N, P₂O₅, K₂O kg ha^-1 + gypsum 60 kg ha^-1 and ZnSO₄ @ 10 kg ha^-1), full dose of poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1, cowdung @ 10 t ha^-1, poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1+ 50% prilled urea and full dose of other inorganic fertilizers, cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1+ 50% prilled urea and full dose of inorganic fertilizers, poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 + 75% prilled urea and full dose of inorganic fertilizers, and cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1 + 75% prilled urea and full dose of other inorganic fertilizers. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design with three replications. Result showed that, yield and yield components of boro rice were significantly influenced by variety, nutrient management and interaction of variety and nutrient management. In respect of grain yield, BRRI dhan29 produced the maximum yield (5.46 t ha^-1). BRRI dhan28 showed poor performance with all characters and gave the minimum yield (4.07 t ha^-1). In case of nutrient managements, the highest yield and yield component were obtained from poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 + 50% prilled urea and full dose of inorganic fertilizers and produced the maximum grain yield (5.70 t ha^-1). In the interaction of variety and integrated nutrient management, the highest grain yield (6.83 t ha^-1) and straw yield (7.61 t ha^-1) was obtained from poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 + 50% prilled urea and full dose of inorganic fertilizers with BRRI dhan29 variety. So, BRRI dhan29 with 2.5 t ha^-1 poultry manure + 50% prilled urea and full dose of the recommended inorganic fertilizers might be a promising practice for boro rice cultivation.

Response of soybean (Glycine max L.) to application of lime and phosphate fertilizer in an acid soil of western Kenya

Peter Asbon Opala — 2020-12-25

The effect of combining lime and phosphate fertilizer on the performance of soybean (Glycine max L.) was investigated in a pot experiment consisting of nine treatments of three rates of lime (0, 4 and 8 t ha⁻¹) in a factorial combination with three rates of phosphorus (0, 15, and 30 kg P ha⁻¹) at Maseno University in western Kenya. There was a significant interaction between the lime and phosphorus rate on the biomass dry weight of soybean. At the rates of 0 and 4 t ha^-1 of lime, the biomass dry weight of soybean increased with increasing rates of phosphorus but at 8 t ha^-1 of lime, the dry weight of soybean increased from 0 to 15 kg P ha^-1 but declined at 30 kg P ha^-1. There was however no significant interaction between lime and P rates on grain weight but the effects of both P and lime rate were significant. When applied without lime, 30 kg P ha^-1 gave significantly higher grain (5.3 g pot^-1) weight than 15 kg P ha^-1(1.6 g pot^-1) of soybean, which was also significantly better than the control (0.0 g pot^-1). When applied without phosphorus, both lime rates at 4 and 8 t ha⁻¹significantly increased grain weights of soybean compared to the control, but the grain weights of soybean between the two lime rates did not differ significantly. The highest yields of soybean were obtained when 4 t ha⁻¹of lime was applied with 30 kg P ha⁻¹ (19 g pot^-1). Therefore, this study demonstrates that the ameliorating deleterious effects of soil acidity through liming should simultaneous be accompanied by application of P fertilizer at appropriate rates.

Agro-morphological characterization of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) accessions at north-western part of Bangladesh

A.K.M. Golam Sarwar — 2020-12-25

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), grown throughout the world for millennia. It is a multipurpose agricultural crop that can provide food, fuel and fibre. An agro-morphological characterization based on 13 traits of 26 flax accessions was carried out during the Rabi season 2017-2018 at the Agricultural Research Station, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Rangpur. The field experiment was laid out in a randomized completed block design having four replications. Flax seeds were sown in 3.0 m × 0.6 m plot with continuous line sowing (two lines). The seed germination (%) and vigour indices of all flax accessions varied from 44.1 – 77.7 and 44.1 – 119.4, respectively. A significant variation in all growth and yield attributing descriptors was observed except 1000-seed weight of flax. Among the accessions, BD-10708 possessed the highest seed yield (182.9 g plant^–1) and yield attributing descriptors viz., number of capsules plant^–1(142) and seeds plant^–1(513) of flax. The performance of the local accesson Ulipur was observed poor compared to some of the test accessions of flax. Some of these flax accessions could be used as breeding materials in varietal developmental and improvement programmes with higher yield potentials of flax in Bangladesh.

Current status of Iraqi artisanal marine fisheries in northwest of the Arabian Gulf of Iraq

Abdul-Razak M. Mohamed — 2020-12-25

The study was conducted to analyze the fish landings from Iraqi artisanal marine fisheries, northwest Arabian Gulf from January 2017 to December 2019. The monthly data of fish landings were collected from the main landing site at Al-Fao port, south Iraq and were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 35 taxa in 18 families were identified in the artisanal catches, in addition to two species of shrimps. The highest total landings were 11,944 t in 2018 and 11,305 t in 2019. The annual total landing of the marine fisheries increased by 270% during 2017-2019 as compared with the annual landing during 2008-2016. Threadfin bream contributed 14.1%, followed by river shad (11.1%) and mullets (11.1%), whereas shrimps formed 15.2% to the total catch. The overall values of biomass diversity of fish ranged from 1.82 in 2017 to 2.85 in 2018. There were 320 registered fishing boats motorized by 65 to 950 hp. Multi gears fishing were observed. The trends of the landings of all fish groups were increased substantially, except river shad, threadfin bream and shrimps. The study suggests some of the management measures must be put into place, especially for the river shad in the regions of their migration reproductive and the nursery.

Appraisal of different doses of nitrogen fertilizer on growth and yield of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Israt Jahan Keya — 2020-12-25

Nitrogenous fertilizer could improve the growth, yield and yield contributing characters of eggplant. The present investigation was aimed to find out the effects of different doses of nitrogen fertilizer on growth and yield of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) which was conducted at Noakhali Science and Technology University during November, 2018 to March, 2019. The experiment comprises on eggplant local variety named ‘Tal begun’. There were four treatments of urea viz., 0, 12, 21 and 30 g urea pot^-1 and the experiment were laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Different parameters were undertaken for the study like plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, number of flowers per plant, number of fruits per plant, individual fruit weight (g). The variety showed significant variation for different doses. Among all treatments, 30 g urea pot^-1 showed highest vegetative characteristics such as plant height (49.67 cm), number of leaves per plant (32.67), number of branches per plant (7.33) at 60 DAT and lowest vegetative characteristics was found from 0 g urea pot^-1. On the other hand, the application of 21 g urea pot^-1 showed medium vegetative characteristics and highest reproductive characteristics such as number of flowers per plant (6.67), number of fruits per plant (6.67), individual fruit weight (138.67 g). Therefore, the results showed that, nitrogen fertilizer strongly influenced vegetative and reproductive characteristics of eggplant. The findings of this study suggested that 21 g urea pot^-1 performed the best and it will be suitable for eggplant production.

Evaluation of eight isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk.) germplasm performance grown under different climatic conditions in Bangladesh

Md. Riazul Islam — 2020-12-25

The extent of genetic diversity in the crop plants is of prime concern to plant breeders and germplasm curators. Therefore, a study was employed to determine the genetic diversity and to evaluate the performance of eight genotypes of isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk.) through analysis of morpho-physiological and yield attributing characteristics. All the germplasm was collected from different areas of Bangladesh. The experiments were conducted at the research field of Regional Spices Research Centre, Magura during the rabi season, 2019-20 to characterize phenotypically and to evaluate the performance of different isabgol germplasm. The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. The highest plant height (42.33 cm), number of tillers per plant (7.33), number of leaves per plant (74), length of leaf (30.00 cm), number of spikes per plant (29.0), length of spike (4.03 cm), 1000 seeds weight (2.0 g) and seed yield (823 kg ha^-1) of isabgol was found from the germplasm PO-001 and the lowest plant height (39.67 cm), number of tillers per plant (6.33), number of leaves per plant (69.33), length of leaf (26.33 cm), number of spikes per plant (23.0), length of spike (3.67 cm), 1000 seeds weight (1.87 g) and seed yield (705 kg ha^-1) of isabgol was found from the germplasm PO-007. On the basis of this field trail in terms of seed yield and other important agronomic characteristics the genotypes PO-001 can be chosen for future breeding material to release a commercial variety in Bangladesh climatic conditions.

Chemical inducers, nutrient management, guava intercropping and insecticides can reduce Huanglongbing incidence and severity in Sweet orange

Md. Rashidul Islam — 2020-12-25

Huanglongbing (HLB) or citrus greening is the most economically devastating disease of citrus in the world. HLB is a vector-borne disease and transmitted by Asian Citrus psyllid (ACP). HLB is now a serious threat to the cultivation and expansion of Sweet orange and Mandarin in Bangladesh. As no suitable cure is available against the disease, inducing plant immunity by chemical inducers or nutrient management and intercropping could be an effective way to combat this challenge. In this study, two inducers viz., Bion (Acibenzolar S-methyl) and Bactroban (Bismerthizol), nutrients formulations SICOGREEN® (soil application) and foliar spray, intercropping with guava, spraying guava leaf extract (10%), foliar spray with insect growth regulators (IGR) such as Heron (Lufenuron), insecticides such as Neonicotinoids/Imidachloropid + Thiomethoxam and foliar spray of Beauveria bassiana (Commercial formulation) showed comparatively better performance as compared to untreated control considering both HLB incidence and severity in both locations (Haluaghat and Bhaluka) of Sweet orange orchards. All these treatments reduced HLB incidence by 57.5 to 89.44% and HLB severity by 54.16 to 80.35% in Sweet orange considering both Haluaghat and Bhaluka orchards. The results revealed that Bion (Acibenzolar S-methyl), nutrients formulations SICOGREEN® (soil and foliar application), intercropping with guava, spraying guava leaf extract, foliar spray of insecticides can be integrated to reduce HLB incidence and severity in Sweet orange. Some of these treatments have also some positive effects on plant growth and yield parameters of Sweet orange as compared to control. These results comprehensively suggest that chemical inducers and nutrient management seem a better alternative to control HLB aimed to increase tree lifespan and productivity.

An outlook on metabolic pathway engineering in crop plants

Jyoti Prakash Sahoo — 2020-09-25

To produce the essential secondary metabolites, plants are the major and important target source materials for conducting the high-profile metabolic engineering studies. Metabolic pathway engineering of both microorganism targets and plants target contribute towards important drug discovery. In order to efficiently work out in advanced plant metabolic pathway engineering techniques, a detailed knowledge and expertise is essentially needed regarding the plant cell physiology and the mechanics of plant metabolism. Mathematical and statistical models to scale and map the genome for integrative metabolic pathway activity, signal transduction mechanism in the genome, gene regulation and the networks of protein-protein interaction can provide the in-depth knowledge to work efficiently on plant metabolic pathway engineering studies. Incorporation of omics data into these statistical and mathematical models is crucial in the case of drug discovery using the plant system. Recently, artificial intelligence concept and approaches are experimentally applied for efficient and accurate metabolic engineering in plants.

Measuring students’ preferences for urban furniture vandalism in Selçuk University Campus in Turkey: A case study

Nurgül ARISOY — 2020-09-25

Vandalism is a phenomenon that we can encounter in any circumstances to public or private property. The vandalistic behaviors depend on the individuals’ perception and public tolerance; also, the human intolerance and their behavior are the factors which might influence the vandalistic acts. To understand the individuals’ perception of the vandalism issue, it is necessary to get the correct information, reason, and dimension of the act. The purpose of this research is to identify and understand the perception, thoughts, and attitudes of the students from Selçuk University toward the concept of vandalism. According to the questionnaire conducted for this purpose, 82.3% of the participants were reported to have aggressive behaviors against urban elements, and the damage to urban furniture was mostly done by writing (66.2%). The survey-research revealed that gender, which mostly involved in vandalism are males. Also, the timing of vandalism is observed at 21:00 (49%). The rate of those participants who said that they harmed the urban furniture is 15.6%, consciously stated that they had damaged the picnic table (55.1%) by writing or drawing (40%), and they had done it because the urban furniture was already vandalized (44.6%). This study will provide guidance on solutions by finding the causes and types of vandalism acts on urban furniture, which is a serious but not undetected problem in university campuses. The research indicated that people perceived vandalism as a lack of consciousness, sanction, and quality of the material and affects the quality of life. While, if enough people are aware of the problem, then the incident rate will decline, simultaneously.

A review on the role of emerging anthropogenic activities in environmental degradation and emphasis on their mitigation

Aditi Bisht — 2020-09-25

Environmental degradation is the deterioration of natural resources such as air, water, soil, flora, fauna, and all other living and non-living component of the planet earth. There are two main reasons for environmental degradation i.e. anthropogenic causes like industrialization, overpopulation, deforestation, mining, etc. and natural causes like flood, landslide, desertification, temperatures, etc. Nowadays, the demand for natural resources is increase due to the exceeding population. To fulfill the demand of humans, over exploration of the natural resources in carrying out, due to this they are under pressure. The anthropogenic activities disturbed and degraded the environmental component such as the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere. All the environmental component is linked together if one is disturbed than its disturbed the other one also. However, in this paper, we discussed the anthropogenic activities that affect the environmental component directly or indirectly and we also suggested the recommendation and mitigation measures to sustain the environmental component developed by the agencies and policymaker.

A review on history of organic farming in the current changing context in Nepal

Kishor Atreya — 2020-09-25

Worldwide, with the increase in awareness of health and environmental concerns, demand for organic agricultural products is increasing, however, its adoption in Nepal at the field level is minimal (0.30% of the total agricultural land area). Exploring the history of organic agriculture could answer, “why its growth, despite the increasing demand, is minimal?” The history of organic agriculture for commerce in Nepal is little known. This study thus explores the scope and history of commercial organic agriculture in Nepal. The paper identifies a few historical landmarks of organic agriculture; and while doing so, it describes the world history of organic agriculture. The study observed that a ‘pure’ form of organic agriculture in Nepal started in 1987, when an American research scholar established a commercial farm. Since then, it advanced until 1992, and then ‘merged’ with permaculture. The organic agriculture movement rejuvenated again in 2002 into the 10^th five years plan. Much of the national policy documents on organic agriculture favored ‘income’ and perceived organic products as luxurious goods. As a result, much of the innovation in organic agriculture, government priorities, and people’s perception inclined towards earning dollars rather than environmental conservation and sustainability of the farming system. The movement of organic agriculture in Nepal deviated from its philosophical grounds and the government's priority increased on earnings, resulting in some myths in the Nepalese society on organic agriculture. All these factors caused minimal growth of organic agriculture, despite its great scope at national and international levels.

Future prospects of precision agriculture in Nepal

Mamata Shrestha — 2020-09-25

Precision agriculture is a management system based on information and technology which analyses the spatial and temporal variability within the field and addresses them systematically for optimizing productivity, profitability, and environmental sustainability. It is an emerging concept of agriculture that implies a precise application of inputs at the right place, at the right time, and in the right amount to minimize the production cost, to boost profitability and
reduce risks. The three main elements of precision agriculture are data and information, technology, and decision support systems. This system of management is known as ‘Site-specific management’ which makes use of technologies like global positioning system, global information system, remote sensors, yield monitors, guidance technology, variable-rate technology, hardware, and software. Agriculture is the mainstay of Nepal but still is not proficient enough to appease the daily consumption needs. The ongoing system of farming practices in Nepal is deemed insufficient to explore the available resources in its optimum potential. Many cultivable lands in the country are still a virgin, and many indigenous crop varieties have remained unexplored in their wilderness that is rich in biodiversity. These possibilities embark great room for increasing agricultural productivity through the precision farming system if adopted the technology on a large scale within the country. The national economy can be flustered and the environment can also be conserved using precision agriculture. It can address all agricultural and environmental issues. It is a technically sophisticated system and requires great technical knowledge for successful adoption and implementation. This study examines the history, global scenario, scope of precision agriculture, and its importance, opportunities, threats, and challenges in Nepal.

Effects of aflatoxin contaminated feed on the fingerlings of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linnaeus, 1758)

Sabbir Ahmed — 2020-09-25

Aflatoxin contamination, particularly common in cultured fishes in Asian countries, are considered unsafe both for fish and human health. However, the presence of aflatoxin in cultured fish feed and their effect are still under estimated in Bangladesh. The present study aimed to assess the effects of aflatoxin on growth performance and residues in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings. Fish feed were treated with several concentration of
aflatoxin as 0 ppb (T₀, control), 25 ppb (T₁), 50 ppb (T₂) and 100 ppb (T₃) and fed the tilapia fingerlings (n=10) in individual glass aquaria (24×12×12 inch, 105-litre capacity) conditions for 12 weeks. Comparatively higher body length (cm) and weight gain (g) were observed in treatment T₀(1.68 and 4.98) and T₁(1.60 and 5.48) than those of treatment T₂ (1.31 and 4.06) and T₃(1.20 and 3.10), respectively. The specific growth rate (SGR) were almost similar in treatment T₀(52%), T₁ (51%) and T₂ (52%) whereas declined significantly (p<0.05) in T₃ (39%). Higher survival rate was also demonstrated in treatment T₀ (90%) and T₁ (90%) whereas significantly decreased in treatment T₂ (60%) and T₃ (40%). The residue of aflatoxin was not detected in T₀ and T_1.On the contrary, the residual effect in tilapia fingerling was evident in T₂and T₃ treatment. The findings of the present study revealed that aflatoxin contaminated feed is harmful for the growth performance and survival of O. niloticus fingerlings. Further study is necessary to safeguard the aquaculture production as well as to produce healthy food for human consumption.

Population dynamics of an invasive species Carassius auratus in the Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq

Abdullah N. Abood — 2020-09-25

The population dynamics of the crucian carp, Carassius auratus in the Shatt Al-Arab River, Iraq was studied from November 2015 to October 2016 with monthly samples collected by different fishing gears. The FAO-ICLARM Stock Assessment Tool (FiSAT II) software was used for the mathematical analysis. Length-weight relationship was calculated as W= 0.0149L^3.065for fish length 4.6 to 26.8 cm. Growth parameters L∞, K and Ø were computed as 29.1 cm, 0.51 and 2.635. The total (Z), natural (M) and fishing (F) mortalities were 2.69, 1.09 and 1.60, respectively. Exploitation rate (E) was 0.59. Length at first capture (L_c) was found to be 10.04 cm. C. auratus displayed one main pulse of annual recruitment. The relative yield per recruit analysis revealed that the exploitation rate (E) of C. auratus was higher than the biological target reference points E_0.1 and equivalent to E_max. It could be concluded that the C. auratus stock in the Shatt Al-Arab River is operating nearby the exploited situation and needs some precautionary measures to avoid the overexploitation by activating the national law of fishing, exploiting and protecting aquatic resources, in particular preventing illegal fishing methods and follow up the execution of the closed season to prevent the decline of our fish resources.

Analysing the consumer preference of fluid milk in province no. 2 of Nepal

Shuvam Shingh — 2020-09-25

Information is an asset for any industry. Some information such as the consumer preference is hidden deep in the mind of the consumer which is difficult to access. Studies have revealed that the consumer preferences can be measured effectively and their research may provide a deeper understanding of the choices that consumers make when deciding to select an offer against another. Milk is one of the major components of diet for the people around the globe. The demand for milk and other dairy products is generally income elastic. The marketing of fluid milk is not similar as compared to other consumer-based goods. The demand for milk and milk products depend considerably on the consumption pattern, food habits, geographical region, urbanization and life style. The study was conducted to analyse the consumer preference of fluid milk in Province no. 2 of Nepal. Rautahat and Saptari districts from Province no. 2 were selected for the study. The total sample size of 180 household was selected for study but data from 159 households was only taken for consideration. Consumer preference was
analysed using tabular and percentage analysis. Garret’s ranking technique was adopted to analyse the reason for preference of fluid milk by household consumer. From the study it was clear that almost all the households irrespective of the income and other socio-economic factors, preferred fluid milk. Nutritive value was found to be the most important reason for preference of fluid milk. The other reason for preference of fluid milk were taste, quality, availability, price and satisfaction. The consumption of fluid milk was found to be dependent over several socio- economic factors such as education, income, gender etc. The differences in consumption behaviour of the consumers provide an important inference to marketing and promotion strategies of dairy/ food products. Different promotion strategies based on different consumption determinants are perhaps necessary for effective marketing in a specific area.

Availability of aqua drugs and their uses in semi intensive culture farms at Patuakhali district in Bangladesh

Jabed Hasan — 2020-09-25

A survey was undertaken to examine the accessibility of aqua-drugs and their applications in the semi-intensive aquaculture farms in Patuakhali district. A total of 83 stakeholders were selected and data gathered from aqua-medicine stores, representatives of different pharmaceuticals and semi-intensive aqua-farms owners via questionnaire interviews. PRA tools like focused group discussion, cross-checking, and key informant interviews were also used. Results show that 78% of farmers conduct polyculture and rest executes monoculture. Among the total fish farmer majority, 38% used lime for pond preparation and water quality management and potash used by 44% farmer as a disinfectant. For increasing dissolve-oxygen Oxy-rich (26%) was vastly used while 28% of farmers don’t use any oxygen supplier in their pond. However, 14% of farmers use commercial Megavit-Aqua growth promoters and 14% farmer used probiotics. For disease control, 52% and 14% of farmers use Renamycin and Renamox respectively due to its easy availability and affordability compared to probiotics. Several issues have been reported due to improper use of aquatic medications, such as lack of information about chemical use, sufficient dosage, form of application and indiscriminate use of antibiotics. This research result will help the policymaker to understand the requirement of fishers for healthy and sustainable aquaculture practices.

Pharmacognostic study of Clerodendrum colebrookianum Walp. plant used for medicinal food by Adi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, India

Temin Payum — 2020-09-25

Clerodendrum colebrookianum Walp.is used as a medicinal food plant among tribal communities of Arunachal Pradesh, India. The shoot of the herb is used as vegetable as well as a medicine to control high blood pressure. This herb is one of the widely used and well-known medicinal food plants in North East India. The present study was carried out to discourse the Pharmacognostic characters of the Clerodendrum colebrookianum shoot. The anatomical discourse revealed up the main vascular bundle and lateral vascular bundle with well developed central pith, secondary xylem, and conspicuous endodermis with the outer surface covered by numerous multicellular trichomes. The fluorescence study of powder shows dull green to brownish in daylight and ash colour to dark brown under UV light. The plant sample contains total ash of 11.15%, the acid in-soluble ash is 1.7% and water-soluble ash is 8%. Methanol gave the highest extractive value with 12.56% while petroleum ether gave the lowest extract of 1.40%. Alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponin, glycosides, carbohydrates, proteins and amino acids, fixed oils and fats were found positive but volatile oil was not recorded in all six different solvents used in the phytochemical screening. The present study characterises the diagnostic Pharmacognosy features of C. Colebrookianum, and would give useful data to differentiate the authentic drug sample from the adulterated sample.

Economic analysis of tilapia-carp polyculture in a selected area of Bangladesh

Mohammad Ataur Rahman — 2020-09-25

Aquaculture is moving on the way of intensification to fulfill the increasing demand of protein as capture fisheries are declining. The study was conducted to identify the socioeconomic characteristics, analyze the tilapia-carp polyculture system, profitability of tilapia-carp polyculture, and credit profile of the stratified randomly selected 50 sample farmers from Sherpur district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through field survey using an interview schedule. Some statistical measures like average percentage and ratios were calculated. The findings revealed that 36% of the respondents belonged to the age group of 25-29 years, 68% belong to medium family size (5 to 6 people), 44% respondents’ education level was higher secondary, 44% respondents’ primary occupation was fish farming and 46 % of were belonged to in annual income level of Tk. 150001-200000 ($1770 - $2360). Average fingerlings released in the tilapia-carp polyculture were 24240 per hectare per year. Most of the fingerlings collected from private hatcheries. The annual per hectare production of tilapia and carp were 8028 kg and 11085 kg., respectively. Per hectare per year gross cost, gross margin, gross return and net return were Tk. 1093008 ($12897), Tk. 759447 ($8961), Tk. 1735455 ($20477) and Tk. 642447 ($7580), respectively. The BCR of tilapia-carp polyculture for cash cost was 1.78 and full cost was 1.59. About 20% of the respondents took loan from different sources and they received 84.51% of their applied amount and 84.73 % of the loan money used in productive purposes. Mortality of fingerlings, the high price of the ingredient, low price of fish, high interest rate and non-availability of good quality fingerlings at proper time were identified to be the major problems in conducting pond fish production. Government and other agencies should come forward to provide subsidized feed, technical supports and credit facilities for the tilapia-carp fish farmers to make the enterprise effectively.

Study on fish marketing system of some fish species in Hobiganj District, Bangladesh

Aruna Rani Deb — 2020-09-25

The study was conducted on fish marketing system of Hobiganj sadar upazila to look out the existing marketing channels of some fresh fish species and to explore marketing cost and income of wholesalers and retailers in the study areas. The present investigation was carried out for a period of July 2019 to November 2019 mainly in three different markets of Hobiganj sadar town of Bangladesh. A total of 60 fish traders were selected randomly and data were collected through direct interview utilizing a well-structured questionnaire. The study pointed that in supply chain about only 5% customers received fish from fish farmers directly and rest 95% fishes arrived to the consumer levels through intermediaries. About 60% fish species were come locally and 40% came from different portions of the country. Fish of most priceable and high consumer preference were Air and Ilish due to its good taste on the other hand Tilapia and Pungas were the less priceable and low consumer preference fish in the surveyed areas because of their bad odour and low taste. The net margin of piker, wholesaler and retailer were 690 Tk. ($8.14), 350 Tk. ($4.13), 830 Tk. ($9.79) quintal-1 whereas gross margin was 900 Tk ($10.62), 500 Tk. ($5.90) and 1000 Tk. ($11.80) quintal-1, respectively and these were satisfactory for their daily livelihood. Traders faced numerous problems such as poor drainage, security, electricity, icing, personal expense, unhygienic environment and transportation etc. To develop the facilities of fish marketing is crucial by improving fish transport facilities, establish ice factory and to introduce fish quality monitoring unit.

Response of integrated fertilizer and weed management on weed occurrence and growth traits of aromatic Boro rice

Purnendu Roy — 2020-09-25

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to study the effect of integrated fertilizer and weed management on the growth performance of aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50). The experiment comprised six fertilizer managements viz., control (no manures and no fertilizers), recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers (i.e. Urea, TSP, MoP, Gypsum, ZnSO₄ @ 250, 120, 120, 100, 10 kg ha^-1, respectively), 50% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1, 75% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1, 50% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1, and 75% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 and four weed managements viz., control (no weeding), pre-emergence herbicide, Panida 33 EC @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + one hand weeding at 35 DAT, post-emergence herbicide, Granite 240 SC @ 93.70 ml ha^-1 + one hand weeding at 35 DAT, pre-emergence herbicide, Panida 33 EC @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + post-emergence herbicide, Granite 240 SC @ 93.70 ml ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. Growth traits of aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50) were significantly influenced by integrated fertilizer and weed management. Plant height, number of tillers hill^-1, total dry matter, leaf area index (LAI) and crop growth rate (CGR) gave their highest values in 75% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers and poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 along with pre-emergence herbicide, Panida 33 EC @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + post-emergence herbicide, Granite 240 SC @ 93.70 ml ha^-1 while their corresponding lowest values were found in control. So it can be concluded that, the interaction of 75% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers and poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 along with pre-emergence herbicide (Panida 33 EC @ 2.5 l ha^-1) + post-emergence herbicide (Granite 240 SC @ 93.70 ml ha^-1) appears as the promising combination in respect of growth performance of aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50).

Effect of soil mulching on growth, productivity, and water use efficiency of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under deficit irrigation

Mohammed A.S. Barakat — 2020-09-25

Two field studies were conducted consecutively in the summer season of 2015 and 2016 to investigate the effect of different soil mulching materials (bare soil: BS as a control, white plastic: WP, black plastic: BP and rice straw: RS) on growth, productivity, and water-use efficiency (WUE) of potato under three levels of irrigation (I₁₀₀=100%, I₈₀=80%, and I₆₀=70% of crop evapotranspiration). Growth characteristics, yield and its components, and WUE were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by both irrigation level and mulching materials. All mulching materials effectively enhanced growth and productivity when compared to bare soil. Potato plants grown under BP and WP as well as RS showed higher mean values of large size (> 60 mm) tubers and WUE compared to non-mulched treatment (BS) in both seasons. Mulching treatments noticeably increased tuber yield in the order of BP > RS > WP. Results displayed that, under different soil mulching materials, the I₈₀ strategy studied here could be successfully applied during summer season in commercial potato production allowing water savings of 20% without any detrimental effect on plant growth or productivity.

Effect of rice residue on weed suppression and yield performance of boro rice

Md. Abdus Salam — 2020-09-25

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from December 2017 through May 2018 to study the effect of rice residue on weed suppression and yield of boro rice. The experiment consisted of four different rice residue treatments such as no rice residue, 2.5, 5 and 7.5t ha^-1rice residue, and five different herbicidal treatments such as no herbicide (H₀), 25% of the recommended dose (RD), 50% RD, 75% RD and 100% of RD. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Seven weed species belonging to five families infested the experimental plots. Weed density and weed dry weight were significantly affected by incorporation of rice residue and herbicidal treatment. The maximum weed growth was noticed with no rice residue incorporation and application of no herbicide. The minimum weed density and dry weight were found in incorporation of 5 t rice residue ha^-1 and application of 100% of RD of herbicide treatment. Rice residue exerted significant effect on yield and yield contributing characters like plant height, number of total tillers hill^-1, number of effective tillers hill^-1 and grain yield. The highest grain yield (4.89 t ha^-1) was recorded with the incorporation of 2.5 t ha^-1rice residue which was statistically identical with5 and 7.5 t ha^-1 rice residues. The grain yield (5.70 t ha^-1) produced by 75% of RD of herbicide was the highest among the other herbicidal treatments. The highest number of effective tillers hill^-1 (12.80), 1000-grain weight (21.07), grain yield (5.87 t ha^-1) and straw yield (7.21 t ha^-1) were observed with the incorporation of 5 t rice residue ha^-1 and 75% of the RD of herbicide treatment. Results of this study indicate that rice residue showed potentiality to inhibit the growth of weed and exerted significant effect on the yield of boro rice. Rice residue @ 5 t ha^-1 with application of herbicide of 75% RD might be suggested to use for effective weed management and better grain yield of boro rice.

Effect of variety and nutrient sources on growth and yield of broccoli in southern belt of Bangladesh

Mohammad Imran Hossain — 2020-09-25

Ongoing use of synthetic fertilizers affects soil structure. Organic manures can serve as an alternative to synthetic fertilizers. The study evaluated performance of five different types of nutrient sources (T₀ =control, T₁= Urea @ 250 kg/ha, TSP @ 150 kg/ha, MoP @ 200 kg/ha, T₂ = Cowdung @ 25 t/ha, T₃ = Vermi compost @ 5 t/ha, T₄= fermented plant juice @ 500 ml/ha and T₅=Liquid fertilizer (Flora: consists of 20% nitrobenzene) @ 200 ml/ha) on growth and yield of broccoli, cvs. “V₁=Known You” and “V₂=Early Green”. Yield and yield contributing parameters such as plant height, number of leaves per plant, leaves fresh weight, length of stem, stem diameter, stem fresh weight, days taken for primary curd initiation, curd diameter, fresh weight of primary curd, no. of secondary curd per plant, fresh weight of secondary curd and yield per plot as well as hectare were measured in this experiment. In case of variety, the highest yield/plot 5.83kg and yield/ha 20.23 tons were recorded from “Early green”. Considering the nutrient factor, the highest curd weight (290.4g) per plant and yield/plot (5.01kg) were found in fermented plant juice nutrient sources. The highest benefit cost ratio BCR (3.21:1) was found in V₂T₄, among all other treatment combinations in respect of net return (Tk. 228934.97/ha) through the use of fermented plant juice. Therefore, it can be concluded that fermented plant juice @ 500 ml/hacan be used to improve vegetative growth, and yield quality and quantity, and the broccoli cv. “Early Green” appears to be the best of the cultivars tested.

Profitability of green leaf cultivation in some selected areas of Panchagarh district in Bangladesh

Jiban Krishna Saha — 2020-09-25

The tea industry has the potentiality of the transform of socioeconomic conditions of rural Bangladesh which provides ample for self-employment of unemployed youth. The present study examines the socioeconomic characteristics, cultural practices and profitability of green leaf cultivation of the randomly selected 45 sample farmers from Panchagarh district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected through field survey using an interview schedule. Some statistical measures like average percentage and ratios were calculated. The study showed that the average family size of the green leaf growers was 4.77. About 72 % of the respondents’ education levels were primary to higher secondary. On an average 100 % of the tea estates owners’ occupation was business while majority of smaller growers and small holder occupation was agriculture. The average size of land holding per family was 12.16 hectares. But on the other hand, area under tea cultivation was found to be 8.50 hectares. The number of bushes planted per hectare was 15218. The study showed that on average 71% farmers maintained the plant spacing (3 ft. x 2.5 ft.). It was found that 58% farmers plucked more than 3 leaves and bud. On an average, per kilogram cost of green leaf was Tk.11.60 ($ 0.137) and Tk. 13.15($ 0.155) on the basis variable and fixed cost, respectively. The cost was the highest in small holder while it was the lowest in the small farmer. The average per kilogram gross margin of green leaf was Tk.8.90 ($ 0.105). But on the other hand, per kilogram net benefit was Tk.7.35 ($ 0.087). The net benefit was the highest among the small farmer due to lower cost; while net benefit was the lowest in small holder due to higher cost of cultivation. The benefit cost ratio was 1.57.

Effect of standing water levels on methane gas emission and yield performance of transplanted Aman rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. BRRI dhan51)

Biddut Kumar Paul — 2020-09-25

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of standing water levels on methane gas emission and yield of transplanted Aman rice (cv. BRRI dhan51) during July to December 2015 at medium low-lying area of Mohangonj upazila under Netrokona district. The experiment comprised five standing water levels on surface paddy soil viz., 5 cm, 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm and 25 cm. Methane (CH₄) gas emission, yield components and yield of transplanted Aman rice were significantly affected by standing water levels on surface paddy soil. CH₄ emission was gradually increased with rising standing water levels and remained static condition at 20-25 cm water level. The highest CH₄emission was observed at 20 cm standing water level and the lowest CH₄ emission was recorded at 5 cm water level. The highest CH₄peak recorded at 85 days after transplanting (DAT). The highest CH₄flux (36.59 mg/m²/h) was observed in treatment 20 cm water level whereas the lowest CH₄flux (21.17 mg/m²/h) was observed in 5 cm water level. Finally, the CH₄ emission dropped at 108 DAT. On and average, the CH₄emission rate during rice cultivation followed 20 cm > 25 cm> 15 cm > 10 cm > 5 cm water level. Soil Eh gradually decreased with progress of time and plant growth and at 85 DAT highly reduced condition developed in all treatments. The maximum reduced condition was observed (-238.67 mV) in treatment 20 cm water level and minimum one (- 214.667 mV) was found in 5 cm water level. The highest grain (5260 kg ha^-1) and straw (6725.0 kg ha^-1) yields were obtained at 10 cm standing water level while the lowest grain (4191.6 kg ha^-1) and straw (5050.0 kg ha^-1) yields were recorded in 5 cm and 15 cm water level, respectively. It may be concluded that 10 cm standing water level is beneficial for transplant Aman rice (cv. BRRI dhan51) cultivation in low lying area in respect of grain yield and environmental issues.

Evaluation of crop arrangement and phosphorus rate on performance of maize-common bean intercropping in western Kenya

Peter A. Opala — 2020-09-25

The effect of phosphorus (P) rate and crop arrangement on the performance of component crops in maize-bean intercropping systems was investigated at two sites; Malanga and Bugeng’i in western Kenya. A split plot design with five crop arrangements in the main plots i.e., one row of maize alternating with one row of beans (conventional), maize and beans planted in the same hole, two rows of maize alternating with two of beans (Mbili), sole maize and sole beans, in a factorial combination with three P rates; 0, 30, and 60 kg ha^-1 in the subplots, was used. Bean yields were low (< 1 t ha^-1) but they increased with increasing P rate at both sites. Response of maize to P fertilizer was however poor at Malanga mainly due to Striga weed infestation. Yields of beans did not significantly differ among crop arrangements at both sites. At Bungeng’i, there was a significant interaction between P rate and crop arrangement. At this site, the maize yield in the conventional arrangement increased with increasing P rate but for the Mbili arrangement, the grain yield from application of 30 kg P ha^-1 was significantly higher than that at 0 kg P ha^-1 and similar to that 60 kg P ha^-1. Therefore, it is not beneficial to fertilize beyond 30 kg P ha^-1at this site with the Mbili arrangement. Intercropping was beneficial in all crop arrangements (Land equivalent ratio >1) and can therefore be practiced, except for maize and beans planted in the same hole with no P application at Bugeng’i.

Growth and yield performance of okra genotypes in acidic soil at Sylhet Region, Bangladesh

M. Rahman — 2020-09-25

A field experiment was conducted at the field laboratory of Department of Crop Botany and Tea Production Technology, Sylhet Agricultural University from August 2016 to January 2017 to select the best suited okra genotype(s) considering growth and yield performance among eleven genotypes viz. BARI Dherosh−1 (control) and 10 exotic (Japanese okra) cultivable in acidic soil conditions. All okra genotypes were evaluated in relation to morphological characteristics and yield performance at defined area of study. The treatment combinations were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. In almost all parameters, significant variations were observed. Experimental findings revealed that BARI Dherosh−1, JO−2, JO−6 and JO−10 showed excellent performance in germination capacity. The high yielding genotype BARI Dherosh−1 exhibited taller plant at final harvest. Early flowers, individual fruit weight with maximum number of flowers and fruits plant^-1 was observed in JO−6. The genotype JO−3 produced the highest number of branches, internodes and leaves at final harvest. The flowering duration was long in the genotype JO−2. The highest fruit setting (%) was observed in JO−1. The longest fruit length and the lowest number of aborted fruits were observed in JO−5 whereas BARI Dherosh−1 showed the largest fruit diameter at 9 DAF and heaviest hundred seed weight. The highest fruit fresh weight observed in JO−4 and the highest fruit dry weight observed in JO−5 at 9 DAF. Regarding fruit yield, the genotype JO−6, JO−10 and JO−3 performed better. The genotypes JO−6 and JO−10 were found to be promising genotypes in acid soil considering the morphological features and yield attributes. Since the variety of our research is suitable for Sylhet region acid soil, if our variety is combined with Sylhet’s cropping pattern cropping intensity will be increase, which will benefit the farmer financially and meet the nutritional needs.

Weed management and crop performance of rice as influenced by different crop residues

Sheikh Hasibur Rahman — 2020-09-25

To investigate the effect of different plant residues on weed inhibition and yield of transplant aman rice, an experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during June 2017 to December, 2017. The experiment comprised of three rice cultivars i.e. BR11, BRRI dhan34 and BRRI dhan49 and five different plant residues treatment viz., no crop residues (control), soybean, wheat, bishkatali and sorghum crop residues @ 2.0 t ha^-1 of each. The experiment was laid out following randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population and weed dry weight were significantly affected by cultivars and crop residues treatment. The highest percent inhibition of 58.31%, 46.84%, 66.85%, 66.94% and 57.6% was in Panikachu (Monochoria vaginalis), Shama (Echinochloa crusgalli), Chesra (Scirpus juncoides), Sabujnakful (Cyperus difformis) and Amrul (Oxalis corniculata), respectively caused by sorghum crop residues. The grain yield, as well as the yield contributing characters produced by BR11,was the highest among the studied varieties. The highest number of effective tillers hill^-1(8.41), number of grains panicle^-1(118.08) and 1000-grain weight (20.54 g) were observed in sorghum crop residues. BR11 under sorghum crop residues @ 2.0 t ha^-1 produced the highest grain (5.76 t ha^-1) and straw yield (6.39 t ha^-1). So, to reduce herbicide use in the present situation of Bangladesh, natural herbicide or crop residues like sorghum might be used as an alternative way for weed management for effective and sustainable rice production.

Effects of plant growth regulators on growth, flowering, fruiting and fruit yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.): A review

Sanjeevan Gosai — 2020-09-25

This review provides a comprehensive overview of the basic and applied aspects of different plant growth regulators in the regulation of growth and development of cucumber plants. The study is completely based on the use of secondary sources of data; related journals, government institutes, and relevant reports. Foliar application of PGRs has been shown to change the physiological and developmental processes, including plant vegetative growth, sex expression, yield, and yield components in cucumber. There are basically two types of growth regulators; plant growth promoters such as auxin, gibberellins, cytokinins, maleic hydrazide, ethephon, etc. and plant growth inhibitors such as ethylene, abscisic acids, dormins, etc. The combined use of auxins and gibberellins result in increased secondary growth. Maleic hydrazide (MH) along with Ethephon at 100 ppm each increases the number of nodes and primary branches. Ethrel at 300-400 ppm retards the secondary development and increase femaleness, and at 200-300 ppm make fruit surface smooth. Silver nitrate (AgNO₃) at 400 ppm enhances the maleness in cucumber. Application of Ethephon at 300 ppm reduces the harvesting time of the fruit. Salicylic acid (at 2 doses of 0.07 mm/l + 0.18 mm/l) increases chlorophyll content and its exogenous application increases the fruit yield. Maleic Hydrazide (MH) alone at 100 ppm increases the femaleness, inhibits apical growth at 50-100 ppm, and increases fruit size at 200 ppm. Therefore, various auxin [indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), NAA], auxin transport inhibitor (TIBA), cytokinins (KIN), gibberellin [gibberellic acid (GA3)], ABA, ethylene [(2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethrel; ethephon; CEPA)] and growth retardant (MH) have been applied to control the vegetative growth and to maximize yield of cucumber. Numerous obstacles have hindered the quality cucumber production in Nepal; like environmental stresses, biotic and abiotic constraints, pest and disease outbreaks, and many others. The use of exogenous plant growth regulators has been crucial to Nepali cucumber producers as plant growth regulators has hasty effect on vegetative as well as the quality yield of plants. This study aims to reveal the suitable concentrations for the applications of growth regulators so that the use of such regulators is environmentally and toxicologically safe for both plants and the consumers.

Seeds infection of Fusarium moniliforme in different Rice varieties grown in mid-hills of Nepal

Poonam Pandey — 2020-09-25

Fusarium moniliforme is one of the important seed-borne fungi responsible for foot rot disease in rice. The study was conducted at the Plant Pathology Division of NARC, Khumaltar from July- December 2019 to find out the level of seed infection of F. moniliforme in different varieties of rice from mid-hills of Nepal. A total of 20 seed samples of different varieties of rice with 240 seeds of each sample were tested following a deep-freeze blotter method distributing 80 seeds per replication and maintaining 3 replications. Seed to seedling transmission test was carried out under screen house conditions. Two hundred seeds of each highly infected five varieties from laboratory test data were planted in eight pots, twenty-five seeds per pot, and categorized into four replications. Component plating was done to determine the location of F. moniliforme infection in a seed. Data analysis was done using STAR at a 5% level of significance. There was a significant difference among all the varieties. The highest incidence of F. moniliforme infection was found in seeds of Khumal-9 variety and lowest in Fan-10 variety. From seed to seedling transmission test, Khumal-4 variety was found highly susceptible to foot rot among the 5 varieties planted. Transmission percentage of disease from seed to seedling was found ranging from 16.19-72.31%. Equally, Component plating concludes that seed coat, as well as endosperm, was the location of F. moniliforme infection in rice seed. Foot rot being one of the serious diseases of rice at present time researches should be done more on this for its effective management and control. Seed health status testification before taking seeds to the field should be done so that timely control like seed treatment could be applied to control the outbreak of the disease in the field.

Effect of source of irrigation water on yield performance of Boro rice

Abdul Latif — 2020-09-25

Industrial wastewater is a major problem in Gazipur, Bangladesh which is very cheaply available in the surrounding area for crop production. An experiment was conducted at Farmer’s Field of Gazipur district to study the effect of irrigation water quality on yield of boro rice. The study comprised three varieties viz., BR14, BRRI dhan28 and BRRI dhan29 and three sources of irrigation water viz. fresh water irrigation, mixed water (fresh + industrial wastewater) irrigation, industrial wastewater irrigation. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications where irrigation water was assigned in the main plot and rice varieties in the subplot. BRRI dhan29 produced the tallest plant (85.25 cm), the highest number of total tillers hill^-1(19.77), effective tillers hill^-1 (17.64), grains panicle^-1(111.0), sterile spikelets panicle^-1 (44.29), 1000-grain weight (22.43 g), grain yield (4.56 t ha^-1) and straw yield (7.99 t ha^-1). On the other hand, plant height (74.50 cm), total tillers hill^-1(19.82), effective tillers hill^-1 (17.53), grains panicle^-1(131.7), sterile spikelets panicle^-1 (35.50), 1000-grain weight (25.83 g), grain yield (5.05 t ha^-1) were found highest when applied fresh water irrigation. The highest numbers of grains panicle^-1 (119.14), 1000-grain weight (25.10 g), grain (5.54 t ha^-1) and straw (7.93 t ha^-1) yield were obtained in BRRI dhan29 with fresh water irrigation. Therefore, BRRI dhan29 with fresh water irrigation would be safe to use. However, if fresh water irrigation is not possible, conjunctive use of fresh and wastewater can be used as irrigation for BRRI dhan29.

Effects of transplanting time on the yield and quality of onion (Allium cepa L.)

M.A. Khan — 2020-09-25

A field experiment was conducted at Spices Research Sub-Centre (SRSC), Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Faridpur, Bangladesh during the winter season of 2018-2019 to investigate the influences of transplanting times of seedlings and the varieties on the yield and quality of onion bulbs. There were six levels of transplanting time such as T₁: November 15, T₂: November 30, T₃: December 15, T₄: December 30, T₅: January 14 and T₆: January 29 under the trial. The varieties used in the study were: BARI Onion-1 and BARI Onion-4. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) of factorial concept with three replications. The results revealed that dates of transplanting, varieties and their combined effects had significant effect on the parameters studied with minor exception. The plant height, number of leaves/plant and incidence of bolting were decreased with the passage of transplanting time. The maximum values (54.51 cm, 8.53 and 71.28%) of the aforementioned traits were recorded at early transplanting on November 15, respectively. The reduced percent of bolting (2.22%) was observed at December 30. While no incidence of bolting was found under transplanting on 14-29 January. Bulb diameter, individual bulb weight, yield, total soluble solid content and dry matter content of bulb were increased up to transplanting on December 15. Afterwards the values of aforesaid parameters were gradually decreased. The highest yield (17.65 t/ha), total soluble solid content (17.02 ⁰brix) and dry matter content of bulb (15.95%) were obtained from December 15 insignificantly followed by December 30 (16.30 t/ha). The delayed transplanting on 29 January markedly reduced the yield (6.72 t/ha), total soluble solid content (12.58 ⁰brix) and dry matter content of bulb (11.61%) as well. The variety BARI Onion-4 performed better in respect of yield and yield attributes but it showed inferior quality. The combined effect of December 15 x BARI Onion-4 gave the highest yield attributes and yield of onion followed by the combination of November 30 x BARI Onion-4 and December 30 x BARI Onion-4 while the values among the three treatments were statistically similar.

Effect of variety and boron fertilizer on the growth and yield performance of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

F.M. Jamil Uddin — 2020-09-25

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field laboratory, Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to evaluate the effect of variety and boron on the growth and yield of French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) during November 2017 to March 2018. The experiment was comprised two factors involving three varieties viz. BARI Jharseem-1, BARI Jharseem-2, BARI Jharseem-3, and four Boron doses viz. 0 (No boron), 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 kg B ha^-1. Borax was used as a source of boron. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The result exhibited that yield and its contributing characters were significantly influenced the variety and boron applications. The experimental findings revealed that the highest number of pods plant^-1 (4.73), effective pods plant^-1 (4.01), seeds pod^-1(3.98), 1000-seeds weight (416.53g), seed yield (1.53 t ha^-1), stover yield (2.69 t ha^-1), biological yield (4.22 t ha^-1), and harvest index (36.03%) were highest for the variety BARI Jharseem-3. At the same time, highest number of pods plant^-1 (5.02), number of effective pods plant^-1 (4.03), number of seeds pod^-1(4.04), 1000-seed weight (412.74 g), seed yield (1.54 t ha^-1), stover yield (3.05 t ha^-1), biological yield (4.59 t ha^-1), and harvest index (36.98 %) were recorded under boron level at 1.5 kg ha^-1. Again incase of interaction of variety and boron, highest number of pods plant^-1 (4.95), number of effective pods plant^-1 (3.98), number of seeds pod^-1(3.69), 1000-seeds weight (413.15g), seed yield (1.76 t ha^-1), stover yield (3.11 t ha^-1), biological yield (4.87 t ha^-1) and harvest index (37.19%) were recorded in BARI Jharseem-3 under boron level 1.5 kg ha^-1. Plant dry matter found positively correlated (r²=0.8126) with seed yield. So, it may be concluded from this experiment that cultivation of var. BARI Jharseem-3 along with 1.5 kg B ha^-1could be applied to obtain higher yield of French bean.

Climate change mitigation through carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in community reserved forests of northwest Tanzania

Gisandu K. Malunguja — 2020-09-25

Forests play a key role in climate change mitigation through sequestering and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, there is inadequate information about carbon accumulation and sequestered by community reserved forests in Tanzania. A study was carried to quantify the amount of carbon sequestered in two forests namely; Nyasamba and Bubinza of Kishapu district, northwestern Tanzania. A ground-based field survey design under a systematic sampling technique was adopted. A total of 45 circular plots (15 m radius) along transects were established. The distances between transect and plots were maintained at 550 and 300 m, respectively. Data on herbaceous C stocking potential was determined using destructive harvest method while tree carbon stocking was estimated by allometric equations. The collected data were organized on excel datasheet followed by descriptive analysis for quantitative information using Computer Microsoft Excel and SPSS software version 20, while soil samples were analyzed based on the standard laboratory procedures. Results revealed higher carbon sequestration of 102.49±39.87 and 117.52±10.27 for soil pools than plants both herbaceous (3.01±1.12 and 6.27±3.79 t CO₂e/yr) and trees (5.70±3.15 and 6.60±2.88 t CO₂e/yr) for Nyasamba and Bubinza respectively. The study recorded a potential variation of soil carbon sequestration, which varied across depths category (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference across sites (P >0.05) and species (P > 0.05) for herbaceous and trees. The findings of this study portrayed a significantly low value for carbon stocking and sequestration potential for enhanced climate change mitigation. Therefore, proper management of community reserved forest is required to accumulate more C for enhancing stocking potential hence climate change mitigation through CO₂ sequestration offsets mechanism.

Erratum: Life cycle and eco-friendly management of Chinese fruit fly (Bactrocera minax) in sweet orange (Citrus Sinensis Osbeck) in Nepal

Prakriti Sharma — 2020-09-25

Erratum (25 Sept. 2020): This paper is a review article. Original photographs were taken by Debraj Adhikari, Senior Agriculture Officer, MoALD, PMAMP, PIU, Sindhuli, Nepal. We apologies for the mistakes that occurred in the published article. Original article can be found at https://doi.org/10.26832/24566632.2020.0502013. Certain other corrections as suggested by the authors can be found in the updated version of this article on this page.

A review on the feasibility of electrolytic treatment of wastewater: Prospective and constraints

Vinod Kumar — 2017-03-01

Electrolytic treatment of wastewater utilizes the electric energy to remover the pollutants from the wastewater. Considerable efforts have been made to purify the different types of wastewater using various electrolytic treatment devices, apparatus and reactors. The present review focuses on the recent development in the electrolytic treatments considering the views of the past work in this field. Most studies have been performed on iron, steel, aluminium and zinc electrodes using various current densities and electrolysis time. Moreover, these studies have been carried out on the removal of different physico-chemical, heavy metals and microbiological parameters using different types of wastewater. In this review the main emphasis has been given to the removal of physico-chemical parameters viz., colour, turbidity, EC, TSS, BOD, COD and heavy metals of the wastewater. The literature on the electrolytic treatment methods using different types of wastewater is surveyed and physico-chemical parameters of wastewater are reviewed. Besides this impact of current density, electrode types, time of electric current application along with the removal efficiency are also discussed in the present review. Additionally, various aspects of the electrolytic treatment of wastewater like impact of temperature, coagulation and flocculation rate are also discussed to make the literature more specific and generalization to understand the electrolytic treatment of wastewater. Therefore, the future directions of the research could be focused on the more efficient removal of pollutants from the wastewater using electrolytic technology in order to achieve the safe limits of wastewater for the reuse and discharge as per water quality standards.

Food insecurity in rural Nigeria during the lean season: Causes and coping strategies

Jabo Muhammad Sani Muhammad — 2017-03-01

This study used a national representative sample of 3380 household from the general household survey-panel (GHS-Panel) to examine the causes and coping strategies among the rural households in Nigeria. The post-planting survey visit, which is the first round of its kind in Nigeria was carried out in (August-October, 2010), it was done immediately after planting season to collect information on land preparation, input and labour utilization. The results shown that soaring food prices and drought together constituted the highest causes of household food insecurity with about (42%) according to the household responses. The cumulative food insecurity strategy index (CSI) is an inverse function approach, which means that an increase in the use of coping strategies indicate a decrease in food security. The results reveal that, households within the age category of greater than or equals to 71 years are having the highest CSI (71.1%). While the least food insecure are the household heads within the age cohort of 31-40 years with only 25.7 % CSI. Poverty alleviation programs and encouraging sustainable non-farm income generating activities among the rural households would have positive impact on the food security situation in rural Nigeria.

Morphological and nutritional assessment of leaf, stem and root of Zanthoxylum macrophylla (Rutaceae)

C.V. Ilodibia — 2017-03-01

Morphological and nutritional studies were carried out on various parts (leaf, stem, root and petiole) of Zanthoxylum macrophylla to determine its taxonomical and nutrient data with regards to morphological and nutritional characters using standard methods. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed in data analyses. Result revealed among other features, the habit of the plant to be tree with prickle stem, imparipinnately compound and reticulate leaves. The various parts contained all the investigated nutrients but in varied quantities. Moisture and fibre were highest in the leaf, (9.40%±0.009) and (14.55%±0.016) of Z. macrophylla respectively. Fat and ash were highest in the stem (10.75%±0.125 and 5.10±0.010) of Z. macrophylla respectively. Both (the stem and the leaf Z. macrophylla) have equal amount of protein (5.95±0.007 and 5.95±0.001) respectively. Results have indicated that these parts of Z. macrophylla are rich in nutrient and could be extracted for the manufacture of food supplements and drugs. The obtained data could be used to enhance proper taxonomic characterisation and identification of the species Z. macrophylla.

Heavy metals and microbial contamination of certain leafy vegetables grown in abattoir effluent disposal province of Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh), India

Vinod Kumar — 2017-03-01

The present investigation was carried out to study the heavy metals and microbial contamination of four selected leafy vegetables viz., cabbage, lettuce, coriander and spinach grown in abattoir effluent irrigated soil. The results revealed that the values of various parameters of abattoir effluent viz., TDS (2840 mg L^-1), BOD (2480.50 mg L^-1), COD (2890.00 mg L^-1), total N (195.80 mg L^-1), Fe (18.48 mg L^-1), Mn (2.88 mg L^-1), total bacteria (6.97×10⁸ CFU ml ^-1), coliform bacteria (3.24×10⁴ MPN 100 ml ^-1) and total fungi (7.78×10⁵ CFU ml ^-1) were found beyond the prescribed limit of Indian irrigation standards. The abattoir effluent irrigation significantly (p<0.05/p<0.01) increased the EC, total N, available P, OC, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Fe, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, total bacteria, coliform bacteria of the soil used for the cultivation of cabbage, lettuce, coriander and spinach in comparison to their respective controls. The most numbers of bacteria (8.67×10⁸ CFU ml^-1), coliform bacteria (7.80×10⁵ MPN 100 ml^-1) and total fungi (9.85×105 CFU ml^-1) were noted in the lettuce after abattoir effluent irrigation. Therefore, the higher contents of heavy metals and microbial population in cabbage, lettuce, coriander and spinach might be related to their contents in the soils irrigated with abattoir effluent. Therefore, the agronomical practices with abattoir effluent should be regularly monitored to avert environmental problems and attendant health hazards.

Growth and yield of amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) as influenced by seed rate and method of planting in Sokoto, Nigeria

M.B. Sokoto — 2017-03-01

Amaranthus cruentus L. is a leafy vegetable commonly cultivated in Nigeria and other West African countries. In Nigeria farmers considered amaranths as a minor crop, they plant amaranths without any consideration of seed rate and this result to suboptimum plant population, similarly broadcasting (which results to wasted of seeds and overcrowding of plants) was predominantly the major method of planting used while planting, Field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of seed rate and method of planting on growth and yield of Amaranths (Amaranthus spp.) at Sokoto. The treatments consisted of factorial combination of four (4) seed rates (2.0 kgha^-1, 2.5 kgha^-1, 3.0 kg ha^-1 and 3.5 kg ha^-1) and two (2) methods of planting (Broadcasting and Drilling). The results revealed that seed rate at 3.0 kg ha^-1 produced significantly taller plants, followed by seed rate at 2.5 kg ha^-1 and the shortest plants was from seed rate at 2.0 and 3.5 kg ha^-1 at 4, 6 and 8 Weeks After Planting (WAP). However, method of planting and interaction between seed rate and method of planting had no significant effect on plant height at 2, 4, 6 and 8 WAP, Seed rate and method of planting and their interaction had no significant effect on number of leaves and Leaf area at harvest. Seed rate at 3kg ha^-1 produced significantly highest fresh and dry weight. Seed rate at 3kg ha^-1 and drilling method of planting would be beneficial for the farmers in Sokoto State and areas with similar environmental conditions for optimum yield of amaranths.

Study of snail and slug population dynamics in relation to edaphic factors in plant nurseries near Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana (Punjab), India

Manpreet Kaur — 2017-03-01

The present study was conducted to study of snail and slug population dynamics in relation to edaphic factors in plant nurseries near Buddha Nullah, Ludhiana (Punjab), India., In the survey of four ornamental plant nurseries viz., Prabhakar, Tulsigaurd, Laxmi plant nurseries near Buddha nullah, Ludhiana and one reference site Punjab Agricultural University nursery, Ludhiana revealed the presence of only one species of both snails and slugs viz., Macrochlamys indica and Filicaulis alteviz. brown slug with black spots respectively in the four plant nurseries. Population density of slugs and snails was maximum in the month of August in all the plant nurseries indicating moisture ranging from 32.36 to 33.5 and temperature ranging from 21.5 to 23.25°C favours the population growth of both slugs and snails. Snail, M. indica and slug, F. alte preferred sandy loamy alkaline soil with high moisture, nitrogen, particle density, high organic matter content, high potassium and phosphorous concentrations, porosity and low bulk density.

Growth and yield attributes of four varieties of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) in Anambra State, Nigeria

N.A. Igboabuchi — 2017-03-01

Field experiments were conducted during the cropping season of the year 2014, to evaluate the growth and yield parameters of four varieties of cowpea (IT04K-223-1, IT04K-321-2, IT04K-332-1 and IT04K-217-5) at Nsugbe Anambra State, Southeastern rainforest zone of Nigeria. A randomized complete block design, replicated three times was used. The results were statistically analyzed using ANOVA. Results showed significant differences (P<0.05) among the varieties evaluated in both growth and yield. Variety IT04K-321-2 consistently yielded better than other varieties evaluated. It had the highest number of pods per plant, pod weight, number of seeds per pod and 1000-seeds weight and plant height with the values of 43.80, 3.01, 4.05, 16.30 and 43.92cm respectively. From the study, it is established that varietal differences exist in cowpea with respect to growth and yield attributes. Under proper management, the yield obtained from Nsugbe area of Anambra State could be compared with yields from other cowpea growing States. This study therefore recommended that variety IT04K-321-2, which had comparable higher yield and was adapted to Nsugbe area be integrated into the farming system for maximum yield and utilization. Farmers are therefore encouraged to integrate this variety into their farming system for maximum yield and utilization in the study area.

Fish productivity: Assessing sustainability in a tropical oxbow lake of Nadia district, West Bengal, India

Dipankar Ghosh — 2017-03-01

Fish productivity in oxbow lake is impacted severely due to varied unsustainable anthropogenic practices like over exploitation, indiscriminate use of fine meshed fishing gears, jute retting etc. This particular study was conducted in a semi closed oxbow lake ecosystem in eastern India to assess both the present and sustainable fish productivity based on the data collected through direct catch assessment survey, fishing effort survey and catch per unit effort calculation. Hike in relative abundance values like numbers of fish catch (>3.78 times), catch per gear effort (>2.6 times), fish density (>2.65 times) and fall in relative biomass values like catch per gear effort, catch per unit effort and fish standing biomass (>41%) were observed during monsoon compared to premonsoon due to flooded turbid water from the river Ganga and jute retting processes during monsoon. Jute retting and indiscriminate over fishing of the monsoon made fish production reduced by >50% during post monsoon. The current fish productivity was estimated at 1146.64kg/ha/year supporting only 23.33% livelihoods of enlisted fishers and about 97.67% of fish production remains unreported every year in the official records of the cooperative society based on the oxbow lake ecosystem indicating inefficient management. Total sustainable production of 285MT (@5MT/ha/year) with total operating capital need of INR 1.00 crore (@INR 0.01716 crore/ha/year) with benefit cost ratio of 4.28 was estimated as the sustainable and replicable basis for promotion of organic aquaculture supporting 100% livelihoods of all fishers and rejuvenating the management of the present oxbow lake ecosystem.

Variations of growth parameters in transplanted Aman rice (cv. BRRI dhan39) in response to plant spacing and fertilizer management

S. Jahan — 2017-03-01

The experiments were carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during June to December 2015 to investigate the effect of spacing and fertilizer management on the growth parameters of transplant Aman rice cv. BRRI dhan39. The experiment comprised of five spacing’s viz. 25 cm × 5 cm, 25 cm × 10 cm, 25 cm × 15 cm, 25 cm × 20 cm, 25 cm × 25 cm, and four fertilizer treatments viz. no manure and no fertilizer (control), recommended dose of chemical fertilizer (80-60-40 kg N, P₂O₅, K₂O ha^-1,respectively + 60 kg ha^-1 gypsum + 10 kg ha^-1 ZnSO₄), 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + cow dung at 5 t ha^-1_,75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1. The highest and lowest plant height was found in spacing 25 cm × 15 cm, and 25 cm × 5 cm, respectively at all dates of observations. Spacing 25 cm × 15 cm, produced the highest number of tillers hill^-1 at 80 DAT. Leaf area index (LAI) and total dry matter (TDM) hill^-1 were the highest in 25 cm × 15 cm spacing and lowest in 25 cm × 5 cm spacing. The highest plant height, LAI and total TDM hill^-1 were recorded in 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + cow dung at 5 t ha^-1and the lowest values were observed in control treatment. In case of interaction, the highest number of tillers hill^-1, leaf area index and total dry matter hill^-1were obtained in spacing 25 cm × 15 cm fertilized with 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + cow dung at 5 t ha^-1.Therefore, 25 cm × 15 cm spacing combined with 75% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + cow dung at 5 t ha^-1appeared as the promising practice in transplant Aman rice cv. BRRI dhan39 cultivation in terms of growth parameters.

Breeding climate change resilient maize and wheat for food security

Asima Gazal — 2017-06-01

Climate change is affecting agriculture directly or indirectly, worldwide and is an important challenge that threatens the long-term production growth of cereals. Fluctuating temperature, green-house gases, rainfall, and high humidity directly affect the crops, pathogens, insects, and weeds. Several new diseases, weeds, and insect pests have started appearing with the changing climate. Maize and wheat are the two of the most important food crops worldwide with too are getting affected. Predictions suggest that climate change will reduce maize and wheat production this will coincide with a substantial increase in demand for maize and wheat due to rising populations. Maize and wheat research has a crucial role to play in enhancing adaptation to and mitigation of climate change while also enhancing food security. The varieties of agricultural crops with increased tolerance to heat and drought stress and resistance to pests and diseases are serious for handling existing climatic variability and for adaptation to progressive climate change. Numerous climate resilient agricultural technologies such as zero tillage (no tillage), laser land leveling, happy seeder, raised-bed planting, tensiometer, and rotavator have been invented for the conservation of agricul-ture. Further, drip irrigation and fertigation, leaf color chart (LCC) for need-based application of nitrogen, integrated nutrient management (INM) systems, integrated pest management (IPM) systems, integrated disease management (IDM) systems, site-specific management systems using remote sensing, GPS, and GIS, and Web-based decision support systems for controlling diseases and insect pests are being commercialized to mitigate the climate change.

Climatic fluctuations in Uttarakhand Himalayan region and resulting impacts: A review

Kavita Tariyal — 2017-06-01

The Himalayan Mountains are the stock of precious biodiversity and water, and providers of ecosystem goods and services on which local communities depend. These “clean” regions are becoming victims of transport of atmospheric pollutants and climate-altering substances. Uttarak-hand state has become victim of several catastrophic events such as Cloud bursts, landslides and Floods in past few years. The young Himalaya is facing worse calamities with every passing year. The devastation in Uttarakhand in June, 2013 showed that some of the effects of climate change are already upon us. Flash floods in Uttarakhand were inevitable, given the record rainfall. But their strength was multiplied by glacial lake outbursts. And the effects were worsened many times by ill-planned development. It ought to serve as a wake-up call to desist from a development model that upsets fragile ecosystems on a large scale and impoverishes people who are already highly vulnerable to a wide range of social and economic problems. The economy of the mountain com-munities of Uttarakhand is largely dependent on its natural resource base and climate-sensitive livelihoods like subsistence agriculture, and forestry. However, the impacts of climate change are visible in mid- and high- altitude regions in the shape of changes in ecosystems and changes in seasons. These changes have both positive and negative effects on resource-based livelihoods. There is a need to identify the changes that are currently visible in the mountain regions, analyze them and help the local communities to adapt to them.

Occurrence of heavy metals in Ganga canal water at Haridwar (Uttarakhand), India: A case study

Nitin Kamboj — 2017-06-01

The present investigation was framed to assess the contamination of heavy metals in Ganga canal water at Haridwar (Uttarakhand). The samples of Ganga canal water were collected from five sampling sites namely Bhimgoda Barrage, Haridwar (origin point); Premnagar Ashram Ghat, Haridwar; Pathari Power Plant, Bahadrabad; Rail Bridge, Roorkee and Uttam Sugar Mills Limited, Narsan (exit point). The samples were analyzed for seven metals viz., copper, manganese, cadmium, lead, zinc, chromium and iron in Ganga canal water monthly during March, 2014 to August, 2014. The concentration of manganese was found greater than its desirable limit (0.1 mg/L), while iron was observed more than its permissible limit (0.3 mg/L) according to Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications. The water quality data was further analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) for monthly and spatial variations. The ANOVA analysis revealed that the contents of different metals such as copper, manganese, lead, zinc, chromium and iron were found statistically significant (P≤0.05) as per temporal study. These monthly variations in Ganga Canal water quality parameters might be ascribed due to the anthropogenic and hydro-geological activities. However, none of the metals showed significant site variation at any of the sampling site of Ganga Canal. Therefore, the present study emphasized the need of regular monitoring of Ganga canal water to avoid the contamination of heavy metals in the water.

Occurrence and floral details of four new invasive alien species in Uttarakhand, India

Sumita Rana — 2017-06-01

The present paper deals with the communication of four new species which are addition to the old reported species out of these 91 species which were studied. Four new invasive alien species (IAS) are Acmella radicans (Jacq. R.K. Jansen), Eclipta prostrata (L.) L., Euphorbia cyathophora Murray and Senna alata (L.) Roxb. was recorded as new elements in IAS flora of Uttarakhand. The study is conducted during 2011- 2015 to compile a comprehensive list of Invasive alien species. A total of 91 Invasive Alien Species were collected from the different areas of Pantnagar. These 91 IAS belonged to 70 genera under 30 families. Dicotyledons were representing by 82 species belonging to 63 genera under 25 families, whereas monocotyledons were represented by 9 species belonging to 7 genera under 5 families. The taxonomic analysis of IAS revealed dominance of Asteraceae with 16 species in 14 genera followed by Amaranthaceae with 10 species in 7 genera, Fabaceae with 8 species in 6 genera, Malvaceae with 7 species in 6 genera, Convovlvulaceae with 7 species in 3 genera, Solanace-ae with 6 species in 4 genera, Poaceae with 4 species in 3 genera and Euphorbiaceae with 4 species in 2 genera. Results of this study clearly indicate presence of 52.60% of IAS flora of India and 55.82% of IAS flora Uttarakhand in such a small area of Pantnagar. Eradication of these species is impractical and costly; however, their population needs regular monitoring and any new introduction need eradication as early as possible.

Taxonomic significance of stem and petiole anatomy of three white varieties of Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.

Aziagba Bibian Okwuchukwu — 2017-06-01

Anatomical studies were carried out on the stem and petiole of three white varieties of Vigna unguiculata L. (Walp.) belonging to the family Fabaceae consumed in Awka Anambra State Nigeria. The structures of the stem and the petiole showed the basic structure of a dicotyledonous plant. The transverse section of the stem and petiole consists of epidermal and collenchyma layers, parenchyma cells and stele (vascular bundles, secretory cells and pith); however there were differ-ences in shape and position of the vascular bundles. In the stem, this bundles are located on a continuous ring but in the petiole are cutting and divided into two large adaxial and three abaxial bundles forming main foliar trace, which above it lie laterally a pair of secondary bundles. The relationships found in this study provide insights to the phylogeny of the species and revealed the importance of combined data from different taxonomic evidences to have clearer information on varietal relationships to enhance the delimitation of Vigna species.

Importance of weather prediction for sustainable agriculture in Bihar, India

Vikram Kumar — 2017-06-01

The current study deals with the climate variability leads to economic and food security risks in Bihar state of India and rest of other part also due to its significant influences on agriculture. In the Bihar state, where agriculture is underachieve because of monsoon dependence and out of the 100 percent only 30 percent is fed by canal water. Climate is changing and its effects on agriculture are uncertain, and to get maximize output and to improving their livelihood within the major constraint, there is need for accurate weather forecast and information. Due to this the dependency of the agriculture sector on monsoon correlates accurate weather forecasts with high demand. The key factor in all agriculture policy is the weather forecasting information which involves enhancing farm risk management. The analysis showed that a 75% accuracy of agro-meteorological infor-mation is necessary for the agro-meteorological information to be worthwhile. However, challenges are there to the uncertainty of climate forecasts and to the complexities of agricultural systems. If better predictions of climate were available three to six months ahead of time, it may be possible to modify decisions to decrease unwanted impacts and to take advantage of expected favourable conditions. Also farmer is better geared to decide about his choice on crop management including appropriate time for sowing, wedding, and harvesting and fertiliser application.

Transcriptional activator gene based phylogenetic analysis of dolichos yellow mosaic virus infecting lablab bean (Dolichos lablabL.)

Sonam Arya — 2017-06-01

Lablab bean (Dolichos lablab L.) is one the important crop, cultivated as vegetable, pulses as it is rich in protein. It is affected from viral disease i.e. dolichos yellow mosaic virus. The causative agent is begomovirus belongs to geminivirus family. Begomovirus contain bipartite genome having two type of DNA-A and DNA-B. DNA- A helps in replication and DNA-B helps in movement. These DNA have six different type of gene coat protein gene, transcriptional activator gene, replica-tion associated gene, replication enhancer gene, pre coat protein involved in different function associated with it. The present investigation was carried out to investigate the transcriptional activa-tor gene based phylogenetic analysis of Dolichos yellow mosaic virus infecting D. lablab. This study is based on the transcriptional activator gene which is used in transactivation of genes, contains three conserved domains: a basic domain at N-Terminus, a central DNA binding domain and activator domain. The genome databases of dolichos yellow mosaic virus were taken from NCBI site total six genome was available and were used with Clustal W and CLC BIO were the bioinformatic tools for determining sequence homology among genome present in different geographical location. The absence of functional specificity suggests that all begomovirus contains a common element interacts with cellular proteins of other viruses reveals the phylogenetic analysis with the other species Dolichos in the different geographical location.

Evaluation of physical and chemical properties of some selected soils in mangrove swamp zones of Delta State, Nigeria

C. Umeri — 2017-06-01

In the present investigation the analysis of physical and chemical properties of some selected soils of mangrove swamp in Delta State (Latitude 50 and 60 and 30’ North and longitude 50 and 60, 45’ east) were determined. Hence, representative soil samples were obtained from three locations viz., Koko, Ozoro, Warri (Mangrove swamp) at 0-15cm and 15-30cm depths. The soil samples were analyzed for their physical and chemical properties viz., soil texture (Sand, silt and clay), pH, EC, total organic carbon, available P, Na, K, Mg, Ca⁺, exchangeable acidity (Al³⁺, H⁺), ECEC, OM, Zn, Pb, Fe, Cu and Mn at different study sites. The soil texture of the studied soil samples were primarily recorded as sand and loamy sand, with sandy texture at different study sites. The soils had a pH range of 5.65 to 6.40 at the surface, and were marginal in organic carbon, total nitrogen; exchangeable Ca, Mg, and ECEC, Zn, Fe, Cu whereas the contents of Mn were recorded to be adequate based on the recognized critical levels for the different nutrients. The potassium levels were found to be deficient in the soils. The pH of the soil showed a significant and positive correlation with K(r = +0.35) and Pb (r = +0.43). Total N positively correlated with the organic carbon (r = +0.92) and Fe (r = +0.63). The soils of the study area were mainly sandy loam indicat-ing that the soils will support arable crop production. From the results of the present study it is recommended that the phosphorus and exchangeable potassium should be artificially supplemented to enhance the nutrients in the soil required for the growth and yield of the crop plants.

Effects of integrated nutrient management on agronomical attributes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) under field conditions

A.K. Chopra — 2017-06-01

In this investigation the effects of different integrated nutrient management on agronomical attrib-utes of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. F1 Hybrid Arka Rakshak) under field conditions were investigated. Ten nutrients treatments viz., without nutrient (control) (T1), recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) (T2), agro residue vermicompost (ARV) @ 5 t ha^-1 (T3), sugarcane pressmud compost (SPC) @ 5 t ha^-1 (T4), cattle dung compost (CDC) @ 12.5 t ha^-1 (T5), sewage sludge (SS) @ 2 t ha^-1 (T6), T7 (50 % RDF + ARV @ 5 t ha^-1), T8 (50 % RDF + SPC @ 5 t ha^-1), T9 (50 % RDF + CDC @ 12.5 t ha^-1) and T10 (50% RDF + SS @ 2 t ha^-1) were used for the cultivation of L. esculentum. The results showed that different treatments showed significant (P-0.05/P-0.01) change in EC, OC, TKN, PO₄^3-, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn of the soil. Among various treatments the most plant height, root length, dry weight, chlorophyll content, LAI, number of flowers/plant, fruits/plant, crop yield/plant, and biochemical ingredient like crude protein, dietary fiber, total carbohydrates and total sugar of L. esculentum was recorded with 50% RDF + ARV @ 5 t ha^-1. The agronomical performance of L. esculentum was recorded in the order of T7 > T10 > T9 > T8 > T3 > T6 > T5 > T4 > T2 > T1 treatments. Thus, sole ARV and 50% RDF along with ARV @ 5 t ha^-1 can be used to achieve the maximum crop yield of L. esculentum.

Growth and yield of amaranths (Amaranthus spp.) as influenced by seed rate and variety in Sokoto, Nigeria

M.B. Sokoto — 2017-06-01

This experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Vegetable Garden of the Department of Crop Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto during the rainy season of the year 2016. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of seed rate and variety on the growth and yield of Amaranths (Amaranthus spp.) in Sokoto. The treatment consists of factorial combination of four (4) seed rates (2.0 kg ha^-1, 2.5 kg ha^-1, 3.0 kg ha^-1 and 3.5 kg ha^-1) and two (2) varieties Ex-Egypt (‘‘DAN EGYPT”) and Ex-Kano “DAN KANO’’. The result indicated that seed rate had no significant effect on plant height of amaranths at 2 Weeks after Planting (WAP). However, at 4, 6 and 8 WAP, seed rate significantly (p<0.05) affected plant height. Seed rate at 3.0 kg ha-1 resulted to significantly taller plants which did not differ significantly from 3.5 kg ha-1 and 2.5 kg ha-1. The shortest plant was from 2.0 kg ha^-1. The effect of seed rate and variety on number of leaves is not significant (P>0.05) at 2, 4, 6, and 8 WAP. The result also showed that seed rate had significant (P-0.05) effect on fresh and dry weight of amaranths at harvest; seed rate of 3.5 kg ha-did not differed significantly from seed rate at 3.0 kg ha^-1 and 2.5 kg ha^-1, while seed rate at 2.0 kg ha^-1 recording the lowest fresh and dry weight of amaranths. Seed rate at 2.5 kg ha^-1 and any of the two varieties, Ex-Egypt (DAN EGYPT) or Ex-Kano “DAN KANO’’ would be beneficial for the farmers in Sokoto State and areas with similar environmental conditions.

Use of double-hurdle model to crop residues usage among farming households in Argungu Local Government Area, Kebbi State, Nigeria

M.S.M. Jabo — 2017-06-01

The objective of this research is to examine the crop residues use and its determinants in Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State, Nigeria. A cross sectional data from 120 households select-ed through a multistage and simple random sampling techniques. This research is timely given the fact that, Nigerian Government is now shifting emphasis from oil-based to agricultural diversified economy. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and double hurdle. Such an approach has never been previously been applied to analyze crop residue usage in the study area and the state at large. The descriptive statistics shows that, farmers preferred using crop residue for feeding (44.1%) than any other purpose. Other important and competing uses of crop residue in-cluded stall feeding, fire wood, house construction and mulching. The intensity of legume crop residue was positively and statistically influenced by household education, land ownership, exten-sion service and access to credit. However, the intensity to use cereal crop residues was positively influenced by household education, extension service and access to electricity (p-0.05). The study concludes crop residues were mainly used for own animal feeding in the area. Extension contact to farm families, socio-economic variable (educational attainment, access to credit) and quantity of crop residues influenced both the decision and intensity of CRs usage in the study area.

Gene action studies in early maturing maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines

Z.A. Dar — 2017-06-01

The present investigation was aimed to investigate the gene action in early maturing maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines. The experimental material comprised of 30 crosses generated by crossing six maize inbred lines in a diallel mating design during Kharif 2013. These 30 crosses along with standard checks viz., SMH-2 and VMH-45 were evaluated in randomized block design in three replications during Kharif 2014 and Kharif 2015. Significant variation was observed for all studied traits during both the seasons. Both additive (D) and dominance (H1 and H2) components of genetic variance were found significant under the study. Preponderance of non-additive gene action was observed for all traits under study. Average degree of dominance was in over dominance range for all characters. The gene distribution was asymmetrical for all traits. The value of KD / KR indicated presence of excess of dominant genes for all traits except 100-grain weight and ear girth. Heritability of most of the traits was low to medium.

Effect of planting method on onion (Allium cepa L.) bulb production in Faridpur region of Bangladesh

R. Sarker — 2017-06-01

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effective planting method for onion production for motivating onion producing farmers in Faridpur region of Bangladesh during rabi season 2014-15 and 2015-16 at spices Research Sub-centre, Faridpur. The number of treatment was four viz., Raised bed + Spices Research Centre (SRC) recommended practice, Raised bed + Farmer’s practice, Flat method + Spices Research Centre (SRC) recommended practice and Flat method + Farmer’s practice. The onion variety BARI Piaz^-1 used as planting material. The SRC recommended practice consist of seed sowing at 2nd week of November + seedlings transplanting at the end of December + Spacing (10cm × 10cm) + Irrigation (4times) + weeding (four at 15, 25, 45 and 60 DAT) + Fungi-cide application with Rovral and Ridomil gold (four spray when disease appears) + Insecticide application (2-3 spray when/before thrips / insect appears) + Fertilizer doses (cow dung 5 ton ha^-1, N120, P54, k75 and S20 kg ha^-1. On the other hand farmer’s practice consist of seed sowing at last week of November in flat seed bed + seedling transplanting at 3rd week of January + Spacing (10cm × 7cm) + Irrigation (2-3 times) + Weeding (2times) + Fungicide application with Rovral, Score and other type of ineffective fungicide at 5-7 days interval + insecticide application with Confidor after thrips / insect appears + Fertilizer doses (N46, P45, k30 and S16 kg ha^-1. The results of the study revealed that planting method and management practices had significant impact on yield and yield attributes of onion and among the treatments the highest yield was found from Raised bed + SRC recommended practice. Significantly highest yield 14.42 t ha^-1 in 2014-15 and 12.57 t ha^-1 in 2015-16 was recorded from SRC recommended practice. The lowest yield 8.05 t ha^-1 in 2014-15 and 7.66 t ha^-1 in 2015-16 was recorded from Flat method + Farmer’s practice. Therefore, the farmers of Faridpur region of Bangladesh are advised to adopt SRC recommended practice with raised bed method for increasing their annual average onion production

A review on toxicity of heavy metals due to intake of contaminated bovine milk

L.N. Ranathunga — 2017-09-01

Environmental pollution is a grievous problem that people on the earth encounter. Anthropogenic activities such as industrialization, urbanization and especially agricultural activities have made a substantial contribution causing the deteriorations of land resources, atmosphere and hydrosphere. Heavy metals being a noticeable pollutant in the environmental pollution have already caused direct and indirect toxicities to human beings. These heavy metals tend to accumulate through food chains and food webs in human and animal tissues leading them to suffer from variety of health problems. Milk and other dairy products have played a significant route of heavy metal exposure to humans since they are largely being consumed at present. This review provides a snapshot about the threats associated with ingestion of toxic heavy metals through milk and other dairy products as to be vigilant in order to ensure the food safety.

Growth response of mahagony seedling (Swietenia macrophylla King.) to addition of coconut shell charcoal and compost on ex-sand mining site of West Java Province in Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2017-09-01

Riverbank is the area that is frequently being used for sand mining site. Overexploited and poorly-managed sand mining will give negative impacts to environment. To prevent and to reduce worse environmental damage, efforts to control the negative effects should be done. One of efforts that can be implemented is revegetation on the damaged land by sand mining activities, thus it needs the type of vegetation that could adapt to its environment. Mahagony (Swietenia macrophylla King.) is a plant that could adapt to ex-sand mining site environment. This research was carried out to assess the effect of adding compost manure and coconut shell charcoal for the growth of mahagony seedling (S. macrophylla) on ex-sand minig site and to identify proper dose for the coconut shell charcoal and compost manure to condition of the site. This research uses complete random design (CRD) factorial. The result of this research shows that giving coconut shell charcoal and compost manure does not have significant effect to all parameter viz height, diameter, total wet weight (TWW), total dry weight (TDW), and root apex ratio (RAR) of S. macrophylla. Giving compost manure partially has significant effect to high parameter, total wet weight, total dry weight, and root apex ratio of S. macrophylla with the best dose amounting to 100 g. The addition dose of coconut shell charcoal 20 g give the best response to total wet weight parameter of S. macrophylla.

Recent advances in pesticide formulations for eco-friendly and sustainable vegetable pest management: A review

Dipak Kumar Hazra — 2017-09-01

In order to reduce the loss and maintain the quality of vegetables harvest, pesticides are used together with other pest management techniques during cropping to destroy pests and prevent diseases. However, the use of pesticides during production often leads to the presence of pesticide residues in vegetables after harvest. Higher doses and repeated applications of conventional formulations lead to accumulate pesticide residues in vegetable commodities along with environmental pollution. With the increasing awareness of toxic effects of conventional formulations, there is a significant trend towards switching over from such pesticide formulations using petroleum and organic solvent based constituents to user and environment friendly water based pesticide formulations. The developed world has progressed substantially in this regard to develop eco-friendly formulations which are safer to vegetable and the environment. These formulations would not only replace toxic, non-degradable ingredients/adjuvants of the conventional formulations but also increase the bio-efficacy of the products through incorporating latest technologies including size reduction (Wettable Powder to Suspension Concentrate, Soluble Concentrate to Microemulsion), increased coverage of applied surface area (EC to ME/Nano-formulations), reduced wastage (Dust/WP to Controlled Release Formulations) and dose rates of applied same pesticides to improve food quality with minimum pesticide residues.

Agro-ecological characteristics and ethanobotanical significance of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.): An overview

Digvijay Singh Teotia — 2017-09-01

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is one of the oldest crops. It is native to the old world. It occurs naturally in Mediterranean Region, North Eastern Africa and South Western Asia to India. It is cultivated in India mainly for oil and dye. The purpose of the present paper is to highlight the ethanobotanical properties and importance of the safflower as an ancient wonderful crop and it also focus on the environmental conditions required for the growth of safflower in India. The seeds are also used as Birdseeds. It has been grown in the past for ornamental, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Presently it has become important mainly due to edible oil, which is obtained from its seeds. The oil is helpful in lowering blood cholesterol. It is specifically relevant to India being the largest producer of Safflower in the world. The safflower is mainly grown in India for its valuable edible oil which has many important properties related to health. The present paper also highlights the other uses of safflower beyond edible oil. The safflower oil is valuable as it content omega-6 fatty acids which are beneficial for our body. It maintains a balance of cholesterol in the body and reduces the chances of developing atherosclerosis. The various studies have shown that moderate safflower seed consumption is good for cardiovascular health. The consumption of safflower seed is also efficient in reducing belly fat. The safflower oil also lowers high blood pressure. The medicinal properties of safflower have been discovered as early as the Middle Ages, where the juice of safflower plant is mixed with chicken stock or sweetened water to relieve constipation and respiratory problems.

Appraisal of phytochemical and antibacterial potential of Myrica nagi Willd. extracts against respiratory tract pathogens

Sanjay Kumar — 2017-09-01

In the present study the antibacterial activity was studied against five bacterial pathogens i.e. Haemophilus influenzae MTCC 3826, Pseudomonas aeruginosa MTCC 2474, Staphylococcus aureus MTCC 1144, Streptococcus pneumoniae MTCC 655 and Streptococcus pyogenes MTCC 442. Shade dried root were crushed and extracted in petroleum ether (PET), acetone (ACE), methanol (MeOH) and water (H₂O) by using Soxhlet apparatus. The agar well diffusion method was adopted to examine antibacterial activity of extracts against the susceptible organisms. Erythromycin was used as positive control to determine the sensitivity of the strains. Phytochemical analysis was done for plant extract. The results showed that MeOH extract was most active as comparison to other extract. The maximum inhibition was found against H. influenzae (18.4±0.07 mm) followed by S. pyogenes (17.3±0.13 mm), S. pneumoniae (16.2±0.07 mm) and P. aeruginosa (15.5±0.15 mm) respectively. The minimum inhibition was noted against S. aureus (14.4±0.13 mm). The phytochemical screening for MeOH extract has shown that plant contains flavonoids, glycosides, alkaloids, steroids, terpene, saponins and tannins. Therefore, M. nagi can be helpful as an alternative source of medicine and new drug discovery.

Assessment of rainwater quality in industrial area of rural Panipat (Haryana), India

Pawan Kumar Bharti — 2017-09-01

This study was conducted in Panipat industrial area for the evaluation rain water quality and indirectly the air pollution load created by industries in the vicinity. The rain water quality of first rain was assessed for the evaluation of air pollution load of region. Selected physico-chemical characteristics like temperature, pH (6.23-6.85), TDS (105-187 mg L^-1), DO (4.2-5.6 mg L^-1), Free CO₂(0.8 mg L^-1), Pb (0.09 mg L^-1), Fe (0.085-0.132 mg L^-1), sulphate (121.2-131.8 mg L^-1), silica (3.51-7.26 mg L^-1), turbidity (11-19 NTU), total hardness (81-120 mg L^-1), chloride (3.20-6.75 mg L^-1), BOD (2-4 mg L^-1), and COD (14-31 mg L^-1) were detected for the evaluation of pollution load in rainwater. The present study revealed that the water quality of first rain was found highly polluted in comparison to second rain. The difference between first heavy rain and second rain was found significant and in favour of increasing air pollution in the industrial area. The trace amount of chloride, silica, lead, iron, sulphate, free carbon dioxide was found in first heavy rain of the region while in the second rain all these were found in very less quantity. The difference in the concentrations of pollutants in rainwater gives the basic idea about the air pollution load of the vicinity. In fact, this is a novel technique to monitor air pollution load of any particular area using rainwater quality monitoring.

Soil and land resource evaluation for rural agricultural land use planning – A case study from hot semiarid ecosystem of Western India

B.P. Bhaskar — 2017-09-01

The farmers of today are expected to maintain rural agricultural landscapes with production mandates that restrict their mandate to integrate conservation plans with landscape management. In this context, an effort was made to evaluate the degree of land use, management and conservation practices adopted in Lagadwal village of Dhule district through detailed soil survey and photopedological interview walks and discussions with farmers. The landscape photographs were thematically arranged and analyzed to construct and narrate theories of land care by local farmers on erosive high hills covering thirty per cent of area (>620m elevation) and supporting extremely shallow Budkhed and Lagadwal series in southern part of the village. The photo views of erosive mid hill landscapes with gullies and landslip areas (40% of area, 600 to 620m) have soil association of moderately shallow Lagadwal thana series on crests / side slopes to very deep Brahmasila and Gaikot series in lower slopes whereas low hills (35% of area, 580 to 600m) with ridge lines and drainage depressions have moderately deep Lagadwal tola series. The farmer’s did not perceive the long term landscape changes occurred due to partially effective conservation plans and pressing financial issues. The photographs revealed the unclear realties of harvesting farm produce on these steeply sloping erosive landscapes emphasizing more on explicit policy toward land management practices and offers opportunity to the farmer’s to change their farm production management activities. The photographs were not intended to evaluate land care per se but offers an insight to the farmers how they look of the land at landscape level.

Evaluation of potential rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes with different levels of N under rainfed shallow lowland situation

K. Jana — 2017-09-01

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the yield of potential rice genotypes during kharif season, 2012 and 2013 at Rice Research Station, Bankura, West Bengal, India on sandy loam soil of slightly acidic in reaction (pH: 5.7). This experiment was conducted in split-plot design with three replications. The results indicated that 105 kg N ha^-1, the yield attributes recorded maximum number of panicles m^-2 (307.9), panicle length (25.3cm), panicle weight (2.32g), number of filled grains per panicle (117.8), 1000-grains weight (24.5g) and finally recorded highest grain yield (4.80 t ha^-1) than lower fertilities. While, 70 kg N ha^-1 was remained closed to 105 kg N ha^-1 in number of panicles m^-2, panicle weight and number of filled grains per panicle. Among the potential rice varieties ‘Sampriti’ (IET 21987) recorded the highest grain yield (4.66 t ha^-1) under rainfed shallow lowland situation of red and laterite zone of West Bengal. The highest grain yield (4.80 t ha^-1) was obtained at 105 kg N ha^-1and it was statistically at par with 70 kg N ha^-1 (4.62 t ha^-1). Therefore, the increased in grain yield of rice by the varieties due to overall respective performance in growth and appreciable improvement in the yield attributing characters.

Toxicity of non-selective herbicide-Paraeforce® to Periwinkle snail Tympanotonus fuscatus var radula

Doris Fovwe Ogeleka — 2017-09-01

Periwinkle snails Tympanotonus fuscatus var radula, an important shellfish in the Niger Delta ecological zone are on the decline and they have not been considered in environmental risk assessment due to the lack of standardized protocols. The gastropod is an abundant species and widely distributed in the aquatic Niger Delta environments. In this study T. fuscatus var radula was exposed to ParaeForce^(e), a solution of paraquat dichloride, a non-selective commonly used organochlorine herbicide due to it sensitivity to chemical compounds, as pollution indicators. The effect of lethal and sub lethal exposure of ParaeForce^® was assessed using the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) #218 protocol to determine the toxicity and safe limit concentrations. The lethal exposure gave an average LC₅₀ of 0.665 mg/kg with a safe limit of 0.0665 mg/kg. The sub lethal test showed that the exposed organisms reduced significantly in body mass at levels of P < 0.05 when compared to the control experiment. Mean percent growth rate relative to the control reduced from 100% to 47% while the highest growth inhibition of 53% was observed in the highest concentration. Thus, the release of the test chemical and other similar herbicides into the environment may cause alteration and loss of body mass in periwinkle molluscs due to their toxic potentials. It is important to exercise caution in the application of this herbicide especially in the aquatic environment for weed control.

Willingness to pay for improved drinking water facility in Samsani Khui, Johar Town, Lahore, Pakistan

Sana Akhtar — 2017-09-01

Quality of drinking water is a universal problem specifically faced by many developing countries. Willingness to pay for improved drinking water facility of the people of a rural settlement, Samsani Khui, Johar Town in Lahore, Pakistan was assessed by questionnaire survey. This article intends to scrutinize the strong relation of these dynamics with willingness to pay by correlating them using chi square and multiple regression. Conferring to results, health status of the people of selected area revealed that 50% adults and 31.9 % children suffered from diarrhea within last 6 months. Education level of 48.6% people is middle school. Income of people lies between 5000-30,000 Rupees per month. People with poor health status held strong association with willingness to pay while low income level and low education level had weak association with willingness to pay. The highest and lowest value calculated are 53.969, -4.83, respectively and the mean ratio of willingness to pay was 1.835. The average willingness to pay calculated was between Rs. 1 to 5. This study depicted that various dynamics including health status, monthly income and education level of the people are the determinants of willingness to pay (WTP) for improved drinking water facility.

Impact of weeding frequency in controlling flea beetles (Podagrica spp.) and yield of three varieties of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) in Gombe State, Nigeria

M.M. Degri — 2017-09-01

Field studies were carried out at School of Agricultural Technology Teaching and Research Farm of Federal College of Horticulture, Dadin Kowa, Gombe State, Nigeria during 2014 and 2015 cropping seasons to assess the impact of weeding frequencies in controlling flea beetles (Podagrica spp.) using three varieties of Okra. Three varieties of Okra (NGAE-96-1; NHAE-47-4 and Challawa) and four weeding frequencies (no weeding, one weeding at 3 WAS, two weedings at 3 and 6 WAS and three weedings at 3, 6 and 9 WAS) were assessed using split plot laid out in randomized complete block design replicated three times. Results showed that the flea beetle (Podagrica spp.) populations, leaves and fruit damaged weight were significantly (P≤0.05) reduced while okra plant height and fruit yield were improved on plots that were weeded three times compared to other weeding frequencies. The result further showed that NGAE-96-1 and NHAE-47-4 reduced flea beetle (Podagrica spp.) populations, leaves and fruit damage than challawa. The results indicated that flea beetle control could be effectively achieved and okra production improved through the manipulation of weeding frequencies and selecting the appropriate okra varieties in the study area.

Genetic variation and morphological diversity in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)

K.P. Viswanatha — 2017-09-01

Cowpea is multipurpose pulse crop grown by poor and marginal farmers in arid zones of India. The extent of genetic diversity present in the cowpea accessions was studied for utilizing the most divergent parents for cowpea improvement programme. Genetic variability and genetic divergence was assessed in the 169 genotypes of cowpea using Mahalanobis D². High phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and genetic advance were observed for days to 50 per cent flowering, number of branches per plant, number of pods per plant and seed yield per plant. The genotypes were grouped in to eight clusters, of which maximum intra cluster distance was exhibited by cluster VI and minimum by cluster II. The inter cluster distance was maximum between cluster II and IV. The genotypes from cluster II and IV, which have high and low cluster means for majority of the characters. The genetic advance estimates were medium to high (17.34% to 87.94%) for all the characters. seed yield contributed maximum towards the total diversity (48.05%), followed by days to 50 per cent flowering (21.08%), test weight (17.68 %), days to physiological maturity (3.58 %), plant height (3.49 %), pod length (1.69 %), number of clusters per plant (1.35 %), number of pods per plant (1.07 %), number of seeds per pod (0.75 %) lowest contribution was noted from number of branches (0.05 %) per plant. Therefore, genotypes from same regions are not recommended for hybridization because of close genetic background which was evident from the result showing genotypes belonging to same cluster.

Effect of nitrogen rates and irrigation regimes on nitrogen use efficiency of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in southwest Ethiopia

Egata Shunka Tolessa — 2017-09-01

Despite the high production potential of potato in Ethiopia, the national average yield is low mainly due to poor fertilizer and irrigation water management. Various scholars have indicated existence of knowledge gap among potato growers with regard to nitrogen application rates and irrigation regimes that could potentially enhance efficient use of both water and nitrogen in relation to variety. This work therefore was initiated to assess effects of nitrogen rates and irrigation regimes on nitrogen use efficiency of selected potato varieties in south western Ethiopia. The experiment was 3³ factorial with three replication managed by Randomized Complete Block Design using Jalene, Guassa and Degemegn potato varieties; 130, 110, 90 kg/ha nitrogen rates, and 100%, 80% and 60% irrigations. Nitrogen content, uptake and utilization efficiency data collected were subjected to analysis of SAS Software version 9.2 and the mean separation was done by list significant difference (LSD). Irrigation and variety significantly affected the nitrogen utilization efficiency while only irrigation highly significantly influenced the nitrogen up take efficiency, nitrogen up take and shoot nitrogen content. Decreasing irrigation water from 20-40% decreased average nitrogen up take efficiency by 20.1- 38.86% and average nitrogen up take by 20.2-38.89%. The interaction of variety and irrigation significantly affected the average tuber nitrogen content. Reducing irrigation water by 40% caused tuber nitrogen content reduction of 51.7 and 56.6% in case of Jalenie and Guassa varieties, respectively. It can be concluded that irrigation regimes and variety significantly affected nitrogen use efficiency of the potato varieties while the nitrogen rates did not influence the nitrogen use efficiency of the potato varieties significantly. Guassa and Jalenie varieties were more efficient than Degemegn variety.

Effects of boron foliar fertilization on irrigated soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) in the Mississippi River Valley Delta of themidsouth, USA

H. Arnold Bruns — 2017-09-01

Boron (B) deficiencies have been observed in some irrigated soybean fields in the lower Mississippi River Valley on silt loam soils of pH >7.0 and irrigated with water having high calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). Boron fertilization effects on irrigated soybean grown using the Early Soybean Production System (ESPS) in the Midsouth have yet to be determined. Three commercial cultivars available for use in the ESPS were selected and foliar fertilized with a B solution at GS’s R3 and/or R5 at concentrations of 280 g B ha^-1, 560 g B ha^-1, or a split application at both R3 and R5 of 280 g B ha^-1. Established stands were greater in 2016 than 2015 (262,378 vs. 180,804 plants ha^-1) resulting in respective mean yields of 4239.7 vs. 3794.7 kg ha^-1, but no significant interactions with years were noted. Yields of AG4632 were unaffected by B fertilization. Boron fertilization of P47T36 at R5 generally improved yields (>4000.0 kg ha^-1) over the control (3668.6 kg ha^-1) and applications at R3 (<3900.0 kg ha^-1). The 560 g B ha^-1 treatment at R3 for P50T64 produced less seed (3742.5 kg ha^-1) than all other treatments while no other differences were noted. Some differences were noted in 100 seed weights but they were neither large nor consistent. It is doubtful that economic benefits to soybean in the Mississippi Delta would result unless a B deficiency was positively identified early in a growing season or in previous seasons. It is concluded from this experiment, that foliar fertilization of soybean with B, as a general production practice, is not recommended.

Carbon sequestration potential of various litter components in temperate coniferous forests of Kashmir Himalaya, India

Muzamil Ahmad Sheikh — 2017-09-01

Natural forests play a key role in the mitigation of atmospheric carbon and have been studied by various workers but very limited work was carried out towards to the contribution of litter in carbon mitigation potential. The current study estimated the carbon sequestration potential in different components of litter in temperate coniferous forests. The results found that carbon content was found highest in cone followed by needle, branch and bark. Seasonal variation was found in all the components of the litter with highest carbon in autumn found at Daksum. During spring season Kuthar showed maximum contribution followed by Pahalgam in summer. Among different components of litter Cone contributed maximum at Kuthar while needle at Pahalgam. The result revealed that litter decomposition was directly related to the accumulation of soil organic carbon in all the ranges which depict the relation of litter with soil organic carbon. It was concluded that litter has an important contribution in sequestering atmospheric carbon as well as providing nutrients to the standing vegetation that mitigates the carbon dioxide.

Impact of row arrangements, age of tiller seedlings and number of tiller seedlings hill-1 on the growth performance of transplanted Aman rice (cv. BR23)

M.A.R. Sarkar — 2017-09-01

The experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to see the effect of row arrangements, age of tiller seedlings and number of tiller seedlings hill^-1 on growth of transplant Aman rice (cv. BR23). The experiment comprised three row arrangements viz. single, double and triple row; two ages of tiller seedling viz. 25 and 35 days and three levels of number of tiller seedlings hill^-1viz., 2, 4 and 6 tiller seedlings hill^-1. The effect of row arrangement, age of tiller seedlings and number of tiller seedlings hill^-1were significant on plant height, number of leaves hill^-1, number of total tillers hill^-1, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight and total dry weight. The tallest plants at 70 DAT, the highest number of leaves and leaf dry weight were found at 25, 40, 55 and 70 DAT in single row arrangement which was as good as double row arrangement while shorter plant and the lowest number of leaves hill^-1 were found in triple row arrangement. The highest stem and total dry matter production hill^-1were recorded in triple row arrangement and the lowest were found in single row arrangement. Wider spacing significantly increased plant height, total tiller production hill^-1, leaf production hill^-1and leaf dry matter production while closer spacing of triple rows enhance stem and total dry matter production hill^-1. Transplanted Aman rice (BR23) can be grown in single rows for the highest plant height, more tiller production, leaf production and leaf dry matter production hill^-1. In case of total dry matter production cv. BR23 can be grown in triple rows by transplanting 35-day old seedlings with 6 tiller seedlings hill^-1_.

Biosynthesis and characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles using Thunbergia erecta (Benth.) T. Anders plant extracts

Manokari — 2017-09-01

The present study focuses on the green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles using leaf, stem, root and flower extracts of Thunbergia erecta. Zinc nitrate hexahydrate (Zn (NO₃)₂.6H₂O) solution was used as precursor to synthesize the nanoparticles. Five grams of plant materials (leaf, stem, root and flowers) were weighed and cut in to small pieces and boiled with deionised water in water bath at 50°C for about 30 min. The extracts were filtered and mixed with Zinc nitrate hexahydrate solution for the preparation of nanoparticles. Synthesis of nanoparticles were monitored by visual color change from colorless to yellow and characterized by UV-Visible double beam spectrophotometric analysis. The absorption peaks of leaf reaction medium was at 308 nm, stem and root reaction media were at 296 nm and flower reaction medium was at 302 nm as shown by the UV-Visible spectrophotometer. The results conclude that T. erecta could be exploited for green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles which can be used in the development of pharmaceutical products beneficial to the mankind.

Evaluation of nickel levels in wastewater, soil and vegetable samples grown along Kubanni stream channels in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

S.O. Oladeji — 2017-09-01

The concentration of nickel was evaluated in wastewater, soil and vegetable (carrot, lettuce, onion, spinach, cabbage, tomato and okra) samples that were collected on seasonal basis from January, 2013 to September 2014 along Kubanni stream channels in Zaria. The results showed nickel concentrations in wastewater were in the range of 7.69 – 38.46 mg/L for the year 2013 and 7.68 – 27.04 mg/L in 2014; 1.92 – 21.37 mg/Kg for the year 2013 and 8.24 – 24.32 mg/Kg in 2014 for the soil while the vegetables had concentrations in the range of 6.97 – 18.79 mg/Kg for the year 2013 and 3.78 – 18.27 mg/Kg in 2014. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in nickel levels across the locations and seasons for wastewater, soil and vegetables analyzed. Pearson correlation showed substantial (r = 0.631) relationship between nickel levels in wastewater for the year 2013 and 2014, negative (r = -0.284) relationship was obtained for the soil between these two years whereas substantial (r = 0.634) relationship was obtained for vegetables cultivated in 2013 and that of 2014, respectively. Thus, nickel concentrations obtained in this study was higher than maximum contaminant levels set by Standard Organizations such as WHO and FAO for wastewater whereas the soil and vegetables were less to limits set by these bodies.

Effect of mulching and organic manure on growth and yield performance of wheat

M.A. Al-Amin — 2017-09-01

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh in Rabi season (dry season) of 2014 to study the effect of mulching and organic manure on growth and yield performance of wheat. Five mulching practices viz. M₁=1 irrigation at 17-21 days after sowing (DAS), M₂=2 irrigations at 17-21 and 55-60 DAS, M₃=3 irrigations at 17-21, 55-60 and 75-80 DAS, M₄=control, M₅=straw mulch (6 t ha^-1) and five organic manure managements viz. O₁=recommended chemical fertilizer (NPKS @ 100-23-20-16 kg ha^-1), O₂=poultry manure @ 6 t ha^-1 (100% PM), O₃=vermicompost @ 8 t ha^-1 (100% VC), O₄=50% chemical fertilizer+50% VC and O₅=50% chemical fertilizer+50% PM were used as experimental variables. The experiment was conducted in split-plot design with three replications. The results showed that mulching had significant influence on all attributes. The highest values of all attributes were found in straw mulch treatment. It was observed that organic manure had significant influences on all characters. The highest values of yield and yield attributes were found in O₅ (50% chemical fertilizer+50% PM) treatment. It was observed that effective tillers hill^-1, grain yield and straw yield were significantly affected by combined effect of mulching and organic manure. The highest values obtained from mulching and O₅ (50% chemical fertilizer+50% PM) treatment. Therefore, it can be inferred from the results of the study that highest production could be obtained from mulching and O₅ (50% chemical fertilizer+50% PM) treatment.

Effects of shade level and microenvironment on vegetative growth, physiological and biochemical characteristics of transplanted cucumber (Cucumis sativus)

Wael M. Semida — 2017-12-01

Growing vegetables through transplantation under black shade nets is currently becoming popular to provide protection from high intensities of light and high temperatures. This study evaluated the effects of shade level on microenvironment, vegetative growth, photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll a fluorescence, osmoprotectants, plant water status and leaf mineral nutrients of greenhouse-grown summer cucumber transplants at 25%, 50%, 63%, and 75% shade levels. Solar radiation and tempera-ture decreased with increased shading levels. Average daily temperatures were approximately decreased by 1.5^oC under 75% shade nets compared to the 25% shade nets. Vegetative growth characteristics, photosynthetic pigments, chlorophyll a fluorescence (Fv/Fm, Fv/F0, and PI), dehydration tolerance and Leaf N, P and K concentrations increased when shade level increased. Chlorophyll a fluorescence (Fv/Fm, Fv/F0, and PI) reduced with the increase of solar radiation levels. Also, clear decreases in free proline, soluble sugars and total free amino acids in both experiments with increased shade level have been observed. Additionally, relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI) and electrolyte leakage (EL) of cucumber transplants were significantly affected in both experiments by shade level. Moreover Shade level affected leaf mineral nutrient but the effect differed among nutrients concentration. This study concluded that, nets with higher shading levels (63 and/or 75%) are a potential alternative to alleviate photo-inhibition and heat stress in cucumber transplants production.

Spatial distribution of solid waste disposal sites in Allahabad city, Uttar Pradesh, India using GIS approach

Nitin Kamboj — 2017-12-01

The present investigation was conducted to study the spatial distribution of solid waste disposal sites in Allahabad city, Uttar Pradesh, India using GIS approach. In this investigation site determination for the transfer of strong waste is performed utilizing geographical information system (GIS), the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and remote detecting strategies for the Allahabad city. In GIS, every single possible prerequisite are at first indicated, spatial information coordinated and overlaid and in view of the last yield got appropriate naturally kindhearted destinations for squander transfer are recognized. Analytical hierarchy process give a deliberate way to deal with evaluating and incorporating the effects of different variables, including a few levels for surveying and coordinating the effects of different components, including a few levels dependent and free, qualitative and quantitative data. Remote Sensing pictures and Survey of India topomaps were utilized to extricate data on badlands and other lands utilize highlights, geography, hydro-geomorphology, seepage, street systems and slant of the region. Various tools and software’s were used for the study like Arc GIS 10.1 LIS III image, SRTM DATA, ERDAS imagine etc. The results of the present study indicated that maps of land use cover/land use change/ satellite imageries and GIS tool were benefited for characterizing appropriate plans and methodologies for effective solid waste management plan in metropolitan cities. Therefore, GIS tools, satellite imageries, maps must be considered for the implementation of solid waste management policies.

Evaluation of antagonistic activities of Bacillus spp. against certain bacteria of medical importance

Kartikey Kumar Gupta — 2017-12-01

In this work we focused on the antagonistic potential of Bacillus spp. isolates from cow dung. Out of fourteen bacterial strains, isolate KD104 and KD117 were probably identified as Bacillus spp. These two isolates were screened for their antagonistic activity against 14 test organisms viz., Vibrio Cholera (MTCC 3904), Salmonella typhi (MTCC 3216), Escherichia coli (SGPGI), Staphylococcus aureus (MTCC 7443), Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 441), Bacillus cereus (MTCC 6728), Proteus vulgaris (MTCC 426), Enterococcus faecalis (MTCC 439), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 424), Escherichria coli (MTCC 118), Shigella flexneri (MTCC 1457), Salmonella typhimurium (MTCC 3231), Streptoccus pyogenes (MTCC 442) and Staphylocccus aureus (MTCC 3160) using cross-streak method. The preliminary screening revealed significant antimicrobial effect of both isolates against Vibrio Cholera (MTCC 3904), Salmonella typhi (MTCC 3216), Escherichia coli (SGPGI), and Bacillus cereus (MTCC 6728). Therefore, this study indicates that these Bacillus species may be up-hold to industrial level for production of antimicrobial agent, which should be further analyzed for its possibility to be used as therapeutic agent.

Phyto-adsorption treatment of paper mill effluent using leaf powder of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes [Mart.] Solms

Akshay Kumar — 2017-12-01

In this present study, an experiment was performed to find the potential of leaf powder of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in treating paper mill effluent. During the study the value of different parameters viz., pH (5.80±0.10), TDS (980.22±12.52 mgL^-1), EC (6.52±0.11 dS m^-1), BOD (86.42±4.61 mgL^-1), COD (281.01±8.66 mgL^-1), PO₄^3- (71.46±6.00 mgL^-1), TKN (84.99±3.92 mgL^-1), Na (136.94±6.66 mgL^-1), K (95.01±3.48 mgL^-1) and total hardness (442.39±3.78 mgL^-1) of paper mill effluent were recorded higher before bio-adsorption treatment using leaf powder of E. crassipes. The leaf powder of E. crassipes significantly (P<0.05/P<0.01) removed TDS, EC, BOD, COD, TKN, Na, K and total hardness of the paper mill effluent. The result of the present study on the bio-adsorption treatment using leaf powder of E. crassipes of paper mill effluent showed maximum reduction in the effluent characteristics viz., pH (6.62±0.08), TDS (848.42±7.67 mgL^-1), EC (4.08±0.17 dS m^-1), BOD (62.56±3.39 mgL^-1), COD (218.11±8.59 mgL^-1), PO₄^3- (50.13±4.33 mgL^-1), TKN (63.04±6.47 mgL^-1), Na (100.06±6.99 mgL^-1), K (66.00±7.38 mgL^-1) and total hardness (347±9.86 mgL^-1) of paper mill effluent after bio-adsorption treatment using leaf powder of E. crassipes. The maximum removal of TDS (13.45%), EC (37.43%), BOD (25.89%), COD (22.38%), PO43- (29.85%), TKN (25.83%), Na (26.94%), K (30.54%) and Total hardness (21.56%) in the paper mill effluent were recovered after phyto-adsorption treatment using leaf powder of E. crassipes. The decrease of paper mill effluent parameter is likely due to that the leaf powder of water hyacinth absorbs the nutrient from the effluent. Therefore, the leaf powder of can be used as phyto-adsorbent for the removal of various pollution parameters.

A review on sewage sludge (Biosolids) a resource for sustainable agriculture

Vinod Kumar — 2017-12-01

Sewage sludge (Biosolids) generation is fastly increasing resulting from the regular increase of population, urban planning and industrial developments worldwide. The sludge needs to be adequately treated and environmentally managed to reduce the negative impacts of its application or disposal. The present review deals with the different applications of sewage sludge for sustainable agriculture. The scattered literature is harnessed to critically review the uses of biosolids to promote sustainable practices focusing on the productive uses of sewage sludge or biosolids. Biosolids or sewage sludge is the byproduct of municipal wastewater, sewage effluent and effluent treatment plants. The treatment plants are generating huge amount of biosolids. The present review focuses on the different applications of biosolids or sewage sludge as in many countries the biosolids or sewage sludge are frequently using for various purposes like for biogas production, land filling, organic fertilizer, soil amendment, and to enhance the crop yield of agricultural crops. Therefore, biosolids or sewage sludge is in the consideration as a resource worldwide. Besides this higher content of different heavy metals and microorganisms are the important constraints for the application of biosolids or sewage sludge in the various fields. Thus, this review emphasizes the different applications and possible limitations for the use of biosolids or sewage sludge as a resource. Efforts have been made on the possible pretreatment of biosolids or sewage sludge to make it more feasible for their applications. Therefore, different properties of biosolids or sewage sludge, their applications along with possible limitations have been discussed in the present review to formulate the biosolids or sewage sludge as a resource for the sustainable development.

A review of ecological agricultural practices as an important component of climate resilient management

E.B. Utobo — 2017-12-01

The pressing need to systematically redirect agricultural practices, towards sustainable, biodiversity based eco-agriculture and the basic agro-ecological principles cannot be overemphasized, especially in this era of threat to food and livelihood security caused by climate change in several developing countries of the world is evident. This is on account that the ecological aspect of agricultural production, which is resilient to climate and productive is based on principles that create biological diversity and build healthy soils, which also prioritizes indigenous and farmers’ knowledge. Ecological agricultural techniques are the foundations for the adaptation strategies needed urgently by the farmers in various developing countries, who will suffer greater from the climate change effects. Many answers lie in farmers’ farms and knowledge. Thus, this review is focused on how to improve the biodiversity of the agricultural system, build better healthy soils that will be drought tolerant and also to add social resilience required to face the increased uncertainty in weather patterns.

Impact of climate change on yield of different crops grown in Cachar district of Assam, India

Diplina Paul — 2017-12-01

Impact of climate change on crop yield threatens food security which is detrimental to agricultural sector. Cachar district of Assam is a climate susceptible district due to its unique geographical location and hydrological regime in north-eastern India. So, the present study was carried out to assess impact of climate change on crop yield for sustainability of agriculture. Climatic data viz., rainfall, maximum-minimum temperature and sunshine hours were collected from an observatory of Tea Research Association, Silcoorie, Cachar district for 2007-2012. Statistical and correlation analysis was employed to evaluate potential climate change impact on productivity of twenty three major crops of the study site. The correlation coefficient (r, Pearson’s Product Moment) between any climatic parameter and crop yield implied that climate has strong linear correlation with yield of crops resulting in twenty-two strong correlations. Among the climatic parameters rainfall was found to have most significant impact on yield. Noteworthy reduction was observed in yield of Autumn Paddy and Winter Paddy by 8.75 and 20.44 during the year 2008-2009 due to 3.98 and 36.22% decrease of rainfall with r values 0.95 and -0.76, respectively. Also, a quantum leap of 145.32% increase of rainfall during Rabi season of 2007-2008 decreased the yield of Potato and Rabi vegetables by 22.96 and 16.89%, respectively. The study revealed that climate change has significant impact on crop yield which could be alleviated by adopting rainwater harvesting technology at the top and foot hills of the hilly areas.

Effect of water and weed management in Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan28) in Bangladesh

Md. Abdur Rahman Sarkar — 2017-12-01

The experiment was conducted at the Farm of Farm Management Division, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during December 2012 to June 2013 to find out the effect of water and weed management in Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan28). The experiment consisted of three irrigation systems viz., conventional flood irrigation, Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and System of rice intensification (SRI) and four weed management practices viz., No weeding, hand weeding thrice at 20, 35 and 50 days after sowing, blade weeding + hand weeding once at 20 DAS; and pre-emergence herbicide (Panida 33 EC) @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + hand weeding once at 20 DAS. Crop characters, yield components and yield were significantly influenced by water and weed managements, and their interaction. The highest plant height (91.51 cm), total tillers hill^-1 (15.49), grains panicle^-1(86.87) and grain yield (4.02 t ha^-1) were obtained in SRI method and corresponding lowest values were found in conventional flood irrigation while all parameters showed intermediate values in AWD. The highest plant height (93.45 cm), total tillers hill^-1 (16.53), effective tillers hill^-1 (12.88), grains panicle^-1 (86.14), grain yield (5.47 t ha^-1) and straw yield were found in pre-emergence herbicide (Panida 33 EC) @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + one hand weeding at 20 DAS while all the parameters showed lowest values in weedy check. Weed infestation reduced 80.07% yield compared to application of pre-emergence herbicide (Panida 33 EC) @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + one hand weeding at 20 DAS. In case of interaction, the highest total tillers hill^-1 (20.93), grains panicle^-1(102.3) and grain yield (5.86 t ha^-1) were found in SRI method with pre-emergence herbicide (Panida 33 EC) @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + one hand weeding at 20 DAT while the lowest total tillers hill^-1 (10.97), grains panicle^-1(61.46) and grain yield (0.91 t ha^-1) were found in conventional flood irrigation having no weeding treatment. The above results concludes that SRI method with pre-emergence herbicide (Panida 33 EC) @ 2.5 l ha^-1 + one hand weeding at 20 DAS appeared as the promising technique for appreciable grain yield of Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan28).

Impact of wastewater on nitrate concentrations in soil and vegetables grown along Kubanni River, Zaria in Kaduna State, Nigeria

S.O. Oladeji — 2017-12-01

The concentration of nitrate was evaluated in wastewater, soil and vegetable (carrot, lettuce, onion, spinach, cabbage, tomato and okra) samples collected on seasonal basis from January, 2013 to September 2014 along Kubanni stream channels in Zaria. The results showed nitrate levels in wastewater were in the range of 23.05-283.54 mg/L for the year 2013 and 16.85-68.05 mg/L in the year 2014; soil had concentrations in the range of 2.20-20.50 mg/kg for 2013 and 7.27-29.57 mg/kg for the second year while the vegetable had concentrations in the range of 3.80-23.65 mg/Kg for the year 2013 and 7.48-27.15 mg/Kg in year 2014. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference in nitrate concentrations across the locations and seasons for wastewater, soil and vegetables analyzed. Pearson correlation results revealed negative (r = -0.263) relationship between nitrate levels in wastewater for year 2013 and year 2014, likewise negative (r = -0.217) relationship was obtained for vegetables planted in the year 2013 and 2014 whereas negligible (r = 0.137) relationship was recorded in the soil for these years. Nitrate concentrations obtained in this study was higher than maximum contaminant levels set by Standard Organization such as WHO and FAO for wastewater whereas the soil and vegetable of the sampling sites were not contaminated with nitrate ions.

Assessment of parasitic load in goat through the examination of faecal matter

Rajesh Kumar — 2017-12-01

Parasitic infection do not show heavy rate of mortality, however there occurrence being chronic, most of the time leads to serious production losses, this led to study about severity of parasitic load and type of parasitic infection in goats. Parasitic infection most of the time leads to serious production losses. Gastrointestinal nematodes are ubiquitous parasites of grazing ruminants and cause decreases in survival, live weight gain, wool and milk production and reproduction performance. Parasitic problems are a serious problem in goat. Total 60 goat faecal samples were analyzed. These results would serve as a baseline for future studies. The majority of the faecal samples (70%) of both zone I and zone II had heavy parasitic load (>3000 epg) followed by 60 per cent samples of zone III. This indicates that majority of the goats of the study area had severe parasitic infection. Chi-square analysis revealed non-significant relation between parasitic load and categories of zones. Majority of samples (48.33%) were infected with the combination of Strongyles, Strongyloides and Coccidiosis. It can be concluded that faecal egg count level was severe in majority of the samples examined.

Effectiveness of integrated weed management in five varieties of aromatic rice in Bangladesh

Md. Azhiat-Ul Huq Hia — 2017-12-01

An experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh to evaluate the efficacy, rice selectivity and cost-effectiveness of some integrated weed control methods on the productivity of aromatic rice under randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment consisted of five aromatic rice varieties; Kalijira, BRRI dhan34, BRRI dhan37, BRRI dhan38 and Binadhan-13, and six different weed management practices comprising no weeding, weed free, mechanical + manual weeding, pre–emergence herbicide + manual weeding, post–emergence herbicide + manual weeding, pre– + post–emergence herbicide. Ten weed species belonging to five families infested the experimental plots. Herbicide treatments provided excellent weed control efficiency and produced much higher net benefit and cost benefit ratio than weedy plot. Among the herbicidal and mechanical treatments, sequential application of Bensulfuran methyl + Acetachlor at early growth stage (pre-emergence herbicide) followed by Pyrazosulfuran ethyl at mid growth stage (post-emergence herbicide) provided the highest weed control efficiency, productivity and net benefit. Single application of Pyrazosulfuran ethyl at mid growth stage followed by one hand weeding performed very close to the pre– + post–emergence herbicide application in terms of productivity and net benefit but in terms of weed control efficiency at 45 days after transplanting application of Bensulfuran methyl + Acetachlor at early growth stage followed by one hand weeding performed very close to pre– + post–emergence herbicide application. Mechanical weeding followed by one hand weeding and application of Bensulfuran methyl + Acetachlor at early growth stage followed by one hand weeding also provided satisfactory results in terms of productivity and economic return. Since manual weeding was less economic, sequential application of pre- and post-emergence herbicides may be recommended for effective weed management in aromatic rice.

Effects of crossbreeding on fruits characteristics of two species of tomatoes (Solanum esculentum L. and Solanum pimpinellifolium L.)

C.V. Ilodibia — 2017-12-01

Solanum esculentum L. and Solanum pimpinellifolium L. (species of tomato) were crossbred to raise F1 so as to assess the effect of crossbreeding as a tool for tomato improvement as shown in yield. This was done by emasculating S. esculentum using it as female parent and transferring ripe pollen grains from S. pimpinellifolium the male parent using artificial means. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was employed in data analysis. Result showed that the parental plants and F1 hybrid differed significantly in fresh fruit weight, number of seeds per fruit, fruit colour, fruit width and fresh fruit length. F1 hybrid had the highest number of seeds per fruit when compared to the parental plants. S. esculentum recorded the highest fresh fruit weight, fruit width and fresh fruit length when compared to S. pimpinellifolium and F1 hybrid, though the F1 hybrid was statistically at par with S. esculentum in fresh fruit length. S. pimpinellifolium had the least fresh fruit weight, fruit width, number of seeds per fruit and fresh fruit length (1.80± 0.01, 8.03 ±1.0, 110.56 ± 0.01 and 4.00 ± 0.03, respectively). S. pimpinellifolium had a very dark red coloured fruits, followed by the F1 hybrid with dark red coloured fruits. S. esculentum had a light red coloured fruits based on the colour guide and the scale point used. The obtained data indicated that when two tomato plants of different but closely related varieties are crossbred, a new variety that combines the characters of the parental plants and enhanced genetic attributes is produced. F1 hybrid had the highest number of seeds per fruit and though had fruits smaller in size than S. esculentum but performed better than S. pimpinellifolium indicating that crossbreeding could be a tool for tomato improvement.

Interaction effect of seedling age and different doses of GA3 on growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Rumpa Sarker — 2017-12-01

An experiment was conducted in the Horticultural Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207 during the period from October 2010 to March 2011 to find out the effect of GA₃ and seedling age on the growth and yield of tomato. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The experiment consisted of four concentration of GA₃ such as control G₀ = no GA₃, G₁= 75 ppm GA₃, G₂ = 100 ppm GA₃ and G₃ =125 ppm GA₃; three different seedling ages such as S₁= 20 days, S₂ = 25 days and S₃ = 30 days old seedling. All parameter varied significantly at different concentration of GA₃ in different DAT. The combined effect of G₃S₃ (125 ppm GA₃ with 30 days old seedling) gave the maximum yield (90.28 t ha^-1), on the other hand combined effect of G₀S₁ (no GA₃ with 20 days old seedling) gave the minimum yield (59.83 t ha^-1). The maximum yield (2.79 kg) plant^-1 was recorded from treatment combination of G₃S₃ and the minimum yield (1.20 kg) was recorded from treatment combination G₀S₁. The maximum yield (32.47 kg) plot^-1 was recorded from treatment combination G₃S₃ and the minimum yield (21.52 kg) plot^-1 was recorded from treatment combination G₀S₁. The maximum yield (90.28 t ha^-1) was recorded from treatment combination of G₃S₃ and the minimum yield (59.83 t ha^-1) was recorded from treatment combination of G₀S₁. Therefore, 125 ppm GA₃ with 30 days old seedling was found suitable combination for tomato production.

Nutrient characteristics assessment of two variants of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench.) found in Anambra State, Nigeria

C.V. Ilodibia — 2017-12-01

Nutrient analysis was carried out on the leaves and fruits of two variants of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) namely: Clemson spineless and dwarf long green varieties of A. esculentus commonly found in Anambra State, Nigeria, to determine their nutritional data with regards to protein, carbohydrate, moisture, ash contents, crude fibre and crude fat contents of A. esculentus using standard analytical techniques. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance. The leaves and fruits of the two varieties of A. esculentus investigated were found to contain the examined nutrient in varying compositions. Carbohydrate and moisture were higher in the fruits of both varieties of A. esculentus (Clemson spineless and dwarf long green) when compared to the leaves (67.09±0.02 and 11.45±0.07), respectively. Ash content, protein, crude fat and crude fibre of A. esculentus were higher in the leaves of both varieties when compared to the fruits (9.10±0.14, 21.55±0.21, 5.33±0.18 and 18.68±0.04) of A. esculentus, respectively. Protein and ash of A. esculentus were higher in the leaves of Clemson spineless when compared to dwarf long green. Crude fat and crude fibre were higher in the leaves of dwarf long green when compared to Clemson spineless. This study has demonstrated that these varieties (Clemson spineless and dwarf long green) of A. esculentus examined are power house of nutrients and can contribute significantly to human health. The study revealed that the leaves of A. esculentus are more nutritious than fruits. It is concluded from the present study that nutritional trials of both varieties (Clemson spineless and dwarf long green) of okra could be an additional aid to the breeding improvement programme of A. esculentus.Breeding improvement programme

Impacts of coal mine water and Damodar River water irrigation on soil and maize (Zea mays L.) in a coalfield area of Damodar Valley, India

Mukesh Kumar Mahato — 2017-12-01

The present investigation was carried out to assess the environmental and biochemical impacts due to irrigation of coal mine water and Damodar River water on Kharif crop, maize (Zea mays L.) in a coalfield area of Damodar Valley, India. Coal mine water and Damodar River water samples were collected for the monitoring of its quality from a coalfield area of Damodar Valley. The samples were analyzed for various parameters and compared with prescribed standard, which revealed that the total suspended solids of coal mine water were higher as Damodar River water. A pot experiment with Z. mays was conducted to study the suitability of this coal mine water for irrigation. The plants of Z. mays in the pots were irrigated with coal mine water and Damodar River water in two concentrations (100% and 50% dilution with double distilled water) and pure double distilled water was used for control. There was 100% germination of Z. mays in all the treatments. The plant growth, chlorophyll content of Z. mays and soil quality parameters were significantly better in coal mine water and Damodar River water treated pots. However, the Damodar River water and coal mine water could be successfully used for irrigation. In general, coal mine water and Damodar River water can be used after mixing with good quality of water has shown better growth of Z. mays.

Length-weight relationship and condition factor of Mugil cephalus and Oreochromis niloticus from a Tidal creek in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Moslen — 2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to assess the length-weight relationship (LWR) and condition factor (K) of Mugil cephalus and Oreochromis niloticus obtained from a tidal creek in the Niger Delta Nigeria. Six samples of each species were randomly collected monthly (January – December 2015) from fisher men making a total of 144 samples. Samples were immediately taken to the laboratory in ice pack coolers for analysis. The b-values ranged from 0.913-3.172 and 1.624-3.484 while K-values ranged from 0.79-1.07 and 1.01-1.08 for M. cephalus and O. niloticus respectively. The results indicated positive and negative allometric growth patterns (b>3 & b<3) for the two fish species, a departure from the cub law, but M. cephalus exhibited isometric growth pattern (b=3.003) during just one month of the study period, a compliance with the cube law. Growth coefficient also had obvious inter and intra specific variation while condition factor did not but indicated wellbeing of fish samples examined. The weight of both fish showed significant difference (P<0.01/ P<0.05) with respect to time while R² values indicated strong linear relationship between length and weight. The study concluded that allometric growth pattern observed for the two fish species had both inter and intra specific variation along temporal lines. However, inter and intra specific condition of fish examined was relatively stable across study period suggesting the two different species could have responded to ecological and environmental variables similarly.

Assessment of physico-chemical and heavy metals properties of some agricultural soils of Awing-North West Cameroon

Nelson Alakeh Mofor — 2017-12-01

This research work was aimed to assess the quality of agricultural soils of Awing-North West Cameroon by elucidating some physicochemical properties and heavy metals in the soils. Agricultural yields in Awing have witnessed a decline in recent years and farmers have repeatedly used fertilizers to improve on their agricultural yields. It is thus important to test the soil in order to ensure not only high productivity but its quality as well and suggest methods to increase agricultural yields, while preventing soil and water pollution. Twenty soil samples were randomly collected from four sites, Achialum, Meupi, Nepele and Ala’amiti, in Awing and analysed for physicochemical and heavy metal properties using standard methods. Results showed that all the soils had low bulk densities (0.76-0.89 g cm^-3), low pH values (4.1-6.0), low electrical conductivities (0.02 – 0.11 mS cm^-1), low available phosphorus (1.55-14.26 mg kg^-1) and the soil textural class was dominated by loam. The mean available concentrations of heavy metals ranged from 0.24-2.73, 0.64-5.13, 13.79-34.51, 29.45-92.27, 0.00-0.80, 0.24-4.54, 0.68-1.39, 0.30-0.47 mg kg^-1 for Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, Pb, Ni, Cr and Cd respectively. Results of heavy metal analysis showed that the soils were contaminated to different levels (above FAO/WHO limits) by the different heavy metals. Natural origins, fertilizer application and domestic waste were identified as the major sources of heavy metals in the soils. Future research should focus on the development of methods to quantify lime-enhanced mobilization of nutrient ions and lime-induced immobilization of heavy metals in these soils.

Assessing fat and aquaculture feed recyclable from chicken wastes of poultry slaughterhouse in Bojnoord, North Khorasan Province, Iran

Hosein Alidadi — 2017-12-01

The rapid growth of poultry industry has caused large amounts of chicken wastes that must be recycled regarding environmental and economic concerns. This study aimed to assess the fat and aquaculture feed producible from chicken wastes in the Bojnoord poultry slaughterhouse, Iran. The chicken wastes including fatty tissue, viscera, and coccygeal were sampled at three different periods in 2016. Fat samples were analyzed by gas chromatography for determining the fatty acid (FA) profile. The degreased wastes then were used for producing aquaculture feed pellets once in combination with flour and once in mix with poultry by-product meal (PBM). The pellets were tested for physicochemical properties. Averagely, 58.9% of the fatty tissue, 14.5% of the viscera, and 30.4% of the coccygeal were recycled as fat content. Totally, 109368 kg-fat/year was extractable from chicken wastes. The oleic, palmitic, stearic, and palmitoleic represented more than 80% of the total FA content. 67.41% and 67.16% of FA composition was unsaturated and composed of cis-isomers, respectively. The iodine value (IV) and saponification value (SV) were 58.7 g iodine/100 g oil and 156.12 mg KOH/g oil, respectively. The content of moisture, protein, fat, fiber, and ash in the feed composed of degreased chicken wastes and PBM was 7.8, 41.2, 34, 0.9, and 4.4%, respectively. The fat obtained from chicken wastes was suitable for non-edible consumption. Combining degreased wastes with PBM resulted in protein-rich aquaculture feed. This study showed the economic and health benefits of separating components of the poultry slaughterhouse wastes and the possibility of producing aquaculture feed containing suitable micronutrients from these wastes.

Intestinal enzyme activities, Carcass biochemical composition and growth performance evaluation of Cirrhinus mrigala fed on heat processed soybean (Glycine max) supplemented diets

Anita Bhatnagar — 2017-12-01

The increasing cost and unpredictable availability of fishmeal and anti-nutritional factors of plant proteins necessitates the search on cheap and abundantly available protein source with capabilities of growth promotion. The feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of hydrothermically processed soybean on growth performance, intestinal enzymatic activity and carcass composition for which three diets were formulated T1, T2, T3 containing fish meal, raw soybean, and processed soybean, respectively. Cirrhinus mrigala fingerlings were stocked in glass aquaria (60×30×30cm)/ plastic tubs (50L) for each diet in triplicates. Fingerlings were fed twice daily @ 4% of wet body weight for 90 days. Length-weight measurements were done fortnightly to adjust the feed quantity. Significantly (P<0.05) high growth performance and low FCR were observed in the fingerlings fed with diet containing processed soybean. Crude protein (%), crude fat (%) and gross energy (kJ g^-1) were found to be significantly (P<0.05) high in the carcass of fish fed with T3. Intestinal enzymatic activities were also significantly higher in the group T3 than to those fed on fish meal and raw soybean. The excretion of ammonia and reactive phosphate was also low with the inclusion of processed soybean, indicating the good quality of water. Therefore, the use of hydrothermically processed soybean in the diets can help in substituting fish meal protein without compromising growth and digestibility parameters and the use of processed soybean in the diets can also eliminate or reduce the pollution problems associated with intensive aquaculture system.

Allelopathic effect of peanut, sunflower and corn crops on germination and growth of some winter weeds

M.M. Abou El-Enin — 2017-12-01

The present study was carried out to study the effects of three summer crops water extracts (peanut, sunflower, maize) on germination and seedling growth of six winter weeds (Medicago polymorpha, L., Sonchus oleraceus, L., Lathyrus hirsutus, L., Phalaris minor, Anagallis arvensis, L., Rumex dentatus, L.) and two winter field crops (Beta vulgaris L. and Vicia faba L.) under laboratory condi-tions. Results revealed that Peanut water extract was recorded the highest mean inhibition values (31.25, 47.81, 89.58 and 74.22%) for L. hirsutus, A. arvensis, V. faba and B. vulgaris, respectively. On the other hand, the lowest mean inhibition values (97.92 and 85.16 %) were obtained from the maize water extract for V. faba and B. vulgaris, respectively. While, the highest inhibition values (27.50, 66.67, 59.83 %) were obtained from the interaction effect between Peanut extract with con-centration 40% for A. arvensis, V. faba and B. vulgaris, the percentage inhibition of them were (69.44, 33.33, and 32.14 %), respectively. Peanut extract was recorded the highest mean inhibition values (6.12 and 7.06 cm) for shoot length of A. arvensis and B. vulgaris, respectively. On the other hand, maize extract was activated the growth of shoot V. faba values (17.26 cm). In addition, the highest inhibition percentages (80.22, 79.61, 75.86, 65.64, 51.79, 25.39 and 15.66%) were obtained from 40% concentration for shoot length of M. polymorpha, R. dentatus, A. arvensis, S. oleraceus, P. minor, L. hirsutus and B. vulgaris, respectively, as compared with control treatment, in 2014. Moreover, the interaction effect between maize extract and concentration 20% for was activated growth of shoot length V. faba values (20.15 cm) the percentage inhibition for him (55.00 %). Peanut extract was recorded the highest mean inhibition values (1.38, 1.81, and 2.05 cm) for root length of S. oleraceus, P. minor and R. dentatus, respectively. On the other case, Sunflower extract was activated growth of shoot V. faba values (11.86 cm) while, peanut extract was activated the shoot growth of B. vulgaris values (13.58 cm). Also, 20% concentration was activated the root growth of B. vulgaris and V. faba (39.36 and 23.79 %) respectively. The interaction effect between peanut extract and concentration 20% was activated root growth of B. vulgaris values (15.85 cm), while, sun flower extract with concentration 20% was activated root growth of V. faba values (14.95 cm). Therefore, the water extracts of peanut, sunflower and maize showed the inhibitory effects on the seedlings of winter weeds.

Physiological parameters and yield differ in rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars with variable water management systems

U.K. Sarker — 2017-12-01

Yield reduction of rice is a severe problem due to the advent of increasing water scarcity and efficiency is relatively low. Physiological attributes and yield performance of high yielding (HYV) rice cultivars need to be assessed by minimizing water loss. Therefore, a glasshouse experiment was conducted in Bangladesh to investigate the impact of cultivars and water management on growth dynamics, biomass production, and yield and water productivity. Ten HYV boro (dry season irrigated) rice cultivars along with fivewater management systems were included in the study. The study revealed that cultivars Binadhan-10 had higher value of leaf area index (LAI), root dry weight along with moderate panicle length. Accordingly, the cultivar Binadhan-10 had a higher yield than all other cultivars because of the highest total dry matter (TDM), number of effective tillers hill^-1, and number of grains panicle^-1. Growth, TDM, and yield were increased with water application up to 8 DAD after which these factors declined with increasing water stress at 10 DAD. The crop grown at CS condition did not increase the yield, rather caused the wastage of irrigation water. The water productivity was the highest (0.252 t ha^-1cm^-1) in 10 DAD treatments, obviously due to minimum water use but highest yield was observed in 8 DAD because of optimum use of water and non stress condition. Therefore, the present study was useful in the screening of the most efficient cultivars, which could be strongly recommended to rice growers to improve crop yield and reduce the use of water.

Heavy metals and major nutrients accumulation pattern in spinach grown in farm and industrial contaminated soils and health risk assessment

H.M. Zakir — 2018-03-10

A pot experiment was conducted to study heavy metals and major nutrients accumulation pattern and to assess possible health risk for adult male and female human through consumption of spinach grown in farm and industrial contaminated soils. The concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Cr and Pb in aqueous extracts of leaves and roots were determined by an atomic absorption spectrophotometer (AAS). The present study revealed that spinach grown in both soils accumulated higher amount of Cr, which could pose potential health concern to the local residents. On the contrary, it could be a good source of S, Ca and Mg for adult male and female human. Accumulation of heavy metals and major nutrients in leaves of spinach was in the sequence of Fe > Zn > Cr > Mn > Cu > Pb and K > S > Ca > Mg > P, respectively for industrial contaminated soil, while the order was Fe > Mn > Cr > Zn > Cu > Pb and S > K > Ca > Mg ≥ P, respectively for farm soil. The sequence of Zn, Mn, Ca, K and S accumulation in spinach was leaf > root. But in case of Fe, Cr and P the order of accumulation pattern was reverse. Among the metals, the calculated THQ value for Cr surpassed 1, and the values for male were 2.85 and 6.86 and for female were 4.47 and 10.75 due to consumption of spinach grown in farm and industrial contaminated soils, respectively. The study results inferred that Cr health risk through consumption of spinach is unsafe in industrial contaminated sites; and in both places female is more vulnerable than male.

Influence of sowing date on the growth and yield performance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties

Utpal Madhu — 2018-03-10

A field study was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to investigate the effect of sowing date on the performance of wheat varieties. The experiment, laid out in RCBD with three replications, comprised four sowing dates viz.,15 November, 30 November, 15 December and 30 December, and four varieties of wheat viz. BARI Gom 25, BARI Gom 26, BARI Gom 27 and Shatabdi. The results suggested that the highest plant population m^-2(58.17) and the highest plant height (89.59 cm) were obtained in 15 November sowing. BARI Gom 25 produced the highest plant population m^-2(50.33) and the highest plant height (86.32) while the same trend was observed in the interaction of BARI Gom 25×15 November sowing. The lowest performance of these two parameters was observed in the interaction of Shatabdi × 30 December sowing. The highest grain yield (2.18 ha^-1) was found in the interaction of BARI Gom 25 × 15 November sowing as contributed by its highest number of effective tillers hill^-1(4.73), the highest number of spikelets spike^-1(17.77), the highest number of grains spike^-1(37.89) and the highest 1000-grain weight (29.99g). The individual effect of the BARI Gom 25 and 15 November sowing on those parameters was also observed as the highest. The lowest grain yield (1.5 t ha^-1) was found in the interaction of Shatabdi × 30 December sowing because of the poor performance of the yield components of this treatment combination. The variety BARI Gom 25 and BARI Gom 26 both gave better yield when sown on 15 November. Therefore, BARI Gom 25 and BARI Gom 26 should be sown on 15 November rather than late sowing to obtain better performance and grain yield of wheat.

Effects of rotation of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) and soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] crops on soil fertility in Elizabeth, Mississippi, USA

H. Arnold Bruns — 2018-03-10

The effects of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.): soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotation on the soil fertility levels are limited. An irrigated soybean: cotton rotation experiment was conducted from 2012 through 2015 near Elizabeth, Mississippi, USA. The crop rotation sequences were included continuous cotton (CCCC), continuous soybean (SSSS), cotton-soybean-cotton-soybean (CSCS), cotton-soybean-soybean-cotton (CSSC), soybean-cotton-cotton-soybean (SCCS), soybean-cotton-soybean-cotton (SCSC). The crop rotation sequences were followed continuous soybean, continuous cotton, cotton followed by soybean, soybean followed by cotton, soybean followed by two years of cotton, and cotton followed by two years of soybean. A weed control treatment of a non-glyphosate post-emergence vs. glyphosate post emergence was used in both crops. Soil samples taken prior to planting each year and in 2016 showed no differences in cation exchange capacity, organic matter, pH, or macro nutrient levels among the rotations, over the five sampling periods nor weed control methods used for either crop.

Assessment of heavy metals pollution in surface sediments of a tidal creek in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

Miebaka Moslen — 2018-03-10

The present investigation was carried out to assess the heavy metals pollution in surface sediments of a tidal creek in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. Sediments obtained from Azuabie creek were examined for heavy metals viz., Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn pollution using the Okujagu creek as a control point. Three stations were established on the Azuabie creek while the control creek had one station. Sediments samples were collected in duplicates on a monthly basis for three months (October – December, 2015) and analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Results show that Azuabie creek had higher metal concentrations compared to the control creek with mean metal values as follows Zn: 27.5 – 293.3 mg/kg; Cd: 0.0 – 0.6 mg/kg; Cr: 2.8 – 35.7 mg/kg and Pb:5.7 – 22.5 mg/kg. Zn levels in sediment had significant difference (p<0.05) between stations which occurred thus: St1 < St2 = St3 < St Control. The values of Contamination factor (CF) ranged from 0.00 – 3.1 indicating low to moderate level of sediment contamination. The values of the degree of contamination computed ranged from 1.28 at the control station to 5.98 at St.1 while the PLI values generally indicated “no pollution” except at St.3 where the values was slightly >1. Generally, EF and I_geo values were lowest at the control station compared to other stations. The study concluded there was low to moderate level of contamination indicating heavy metal input from anthropogenic origin was found in the study area.

Health risk assessment of heavy metals via dietary intake of vegetables grown in wastewater irrigated areas of Jagjeetpur, Haridwar India

Vinod Kumar — 2018-03-10

The present study was conducted to appraise the human health risk due to dietary intake of heavy metals contaminated vegetables viz., cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) and spinach, (Spinacia oleracea) grown in the municipal wastewater irrigated soil in the proximity of sewage treatment plant (STP), Jagjeetpur, Haridwar. The results showed that Cd, Fe and Mn concentrations in B. oleracea var. capitata, B. oleracea var. botrytis and S. oleracea were found beyond the safe limit of the Indian and WHO/FAO standards for heavy metals in the vegetables. The contamination factor of these heavy metals in the soil was recorded in the order of Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu > Cr > Cd after irrigation of municipal wastewater. The higher values of metal pollution index in different vegetables as B. oleracea var. capitata (14.82; B. oleracea var. botrytis (10.48) and S. oleracea (12.59) showed more health risk index for Cd, Fe and Mn in these vegetables cultivated in the wastewater irrigated soil. Therefore, dietary intake of these heavy metals contaminated vegetables may pose a significant threat to the human health. However, cauliflower contained less heavy metal as compared to the cabbage and spinach, but health risk was more due to higher role in the diet. Even though there were low concentrations of heavy metals in the municipal wastewater used for the irrigation, but long term use of the municipal wastewater may cause gradual buildup of heavy metals in the vegetables grown in the municipal wastewater irrigated soil and leads to health risk of consumers due to intake of heavy metals contaminated vegetables.

Growth analysis of short duration transplant Aus rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Parija) under irrigated ecosystem

Bithi Roy — 2018-03-10

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during April to July 2012 to examine the effect of plant spacing and nitrogen level on the growth performance of short duration transplant Aus rice (cv. Parija) under irrigated ecosystem. The experiment comprised four plants spacings viz., 20 cm × 20 cm, 20 cm × 15 cm, 20 cm × 10 cm and 15 cm × 15 cm and four nitrogen levels viz. 0, 35, 70 and 105 kg N ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Morpho-physiological characters, of transplant Aus rice (cv. Parija) significantly influenced by spacing of planting, nitrogen level and their interaction. At 60 DAT, the highest plant height (80.68 cm) was obtained at 20 cm × 15 cm spacing fertilized with 70 kg N ha^-1 which was as good as 20 cm × 10 cm fertilizad with 35 kg N ha^-1. The maximum number of tillers hill^-1 (15.16) was obtained at 20 cm × 20 cm spacing fertilized with 105 kg N ha^-1which was statistically at par with 20 cm × 15 cmfertilized with 70 kg N ha^-1. The highest total dry matter (8.92g) was obtained at the 20 cm × 15 cm spacing fertilized with higher dose of nitrogen (105 kg N ha^-1) and at 45-60 DAT, the highest crop growth rate (3.34) was obtained at 15 cm × 15 cm spacing fertilized with 35 kg N ha^-1 while the lowest CGR (1.12) was recorded at the same spacing (15 cm × 15 cm) with control treatment. This study revealed that short duration transplant Aus rice cv. Parija can be cultivated at 20 cm × 15 cm or 15 cm × 15 cm spacing with 35 to 105 kg N ha^-1for proper growth.

Effectiveness of different plant extracts against Galleria mellonella larvae in laboratory

Lalita — 2018-03-10

The present investigation was undertaken to study the effectiveness of different plant extracts against Galleria mellonella larvae in laboratory. Acetone prepared extracts of leaves, stem, seed, root, husk of thirteen medicinal and healthy plants were used to examine their effects on the mortality of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella larvae in laboratory. Results revealed that only six plant extracts prepared with leaves and stem cause mortality of wax moth. Larval mortality was highest (93.33%) with husk prepared extract of P. psyllium followed by leaf prepared extract of H. sativum (80%), Raphanus sativus (73.33%), Linum usitatissimum (66.66%) Cucurbita moschata (46.66%) and Vicia sativa (46.66%). The larval mortality with stem/root/seed prepared extract was recorded highest in Hordeum sativum (73.33%) followed by Raphanus sativus (80%), Cucurbita moschata (60%) Linum usitatissimum (53.33%) and Vicia sativa (40%) and found significant difference with the control (0.00%). There was no mortality of larvae was found in control and other remaining plant extract. Irrespective of the different plants, highest per cent mortality (52.22%) of wax moth larvae by stem/seed/ root prepared extract followed by leaf extract (48.66). Therefore, the plant extract of different plants were found effective against Galleria mellonella larvae.

Water quality of River Ganga with reference to physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics during Kanwar Mela 2017, at Haridwar, India: A case study

Vinod Kumar — 2018-03-10

The present investigation was conducted to study the water quality of river Ganga during Kanwar Mela 2017 with reference to physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics at Haridwar city. Five sampling sites viz., Har ki Pauri (HKP), Vishnu Ghat (VG), Daksh Mandir (DM), Pul Jatwara (PJ) and Bhimgoda Barrage (BGB as control) were selected for collection of water samples. The reseult revealed that among the different sampling sites, the maximum values of EC (0.164 dS m^-1), TS (545 mg L^-1), TDS (320 mg L^-1), TSS (225 mg L^-1), pH (8.76), DO (10.04 mg L^-1), BOD (4.76 mg L^-1), COD (6.89 mg L^-1), Cl^–(124.50 mg L^-1), Hardness (232.54 mg L^-1), Alkalinity (158.36 mg L^-1), NO₃^2-(76.88 mg L^-1), SO₄^2-(228.34 mg L^-1), SPC (6.8×10⁶ SPC ml ^-1), MPN (4.6×10⁸ MPN 100 ml ^-1), Cd (BDL), Cu (0.171 mg L^-1), Cr (1.503 mg L^-1), Fe (3.642 mg L^-1), Ni (BDL) and Zn (2.456 mg L^-1) of Ganga River water were recorded higer at Har ki Pauri (HKP) in comparison to Vishnu Ghat (VG), Daksh Mandir (DM), Pul Jatwara (PJ) and Bhimgoda Barrage (BGB) sampling sites. Therefore, it was concluded from the present investigation that the mass bathing and relegious activities greatly influenced the water quality of River Ganga and significantly contributed to the water pollution of River Ganga during the Kanwar Mela 2017.

Influence of plant nutrient management on the yield performance of transplant Aman rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Md. Imran Ali — 2018-03-10

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during June to December 2016 to investigate the influence of plant nutrient management on the yield performance of transplant Aman rice varieties. The experiment comprised four varieties viz., BRRIdhan70, BRRI dhan71, BRRI dhan72 and BRRIdhan73 and six nutrient managements viz. poultry manure 5 t ha^-1, recommended dose of prilled urea, P, K, S, Zn (160, 65, 90, 70, 10 kg ha^-1of urea, TSP, MoP, Gypsum and Zinc sulphate, respectively), 75% of recommended dose of prilled urea and P, K, S, Zn + poultry manure 2.5 t ha^-1, 50% of recommended dose of prilled urea and P, K, S, Zn + poultry manure 5 t ha^-1, USG 1.8 g/4 hills and P, K, S, Zn recommended dose, USG 1.8 g/4 hills and P, K, S, Zn + poultry manure 2.5 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Number of total tillers hill^-1(10.25), number of effective tillers hill^-1(8.85), grains panicle^-1(94.23), 1000-grain weight (27.81), grain yield (5.88 t ha^-1) and straw yield (8.83 t ha^-1) were found to be the highest in BRRI dhan72. Among the nutrient management, USG 1.8 g/4 hills and P, K, S, Zn + poultry manure 2.5 t ha^-1exhibited its superiority to other treatments in terms of plant height (131.0 cm), number of total tillers hill^-1(10.67), number of effective tillers hill^-1 (9.13), grains panicle^-1 (92.71), 1000-grain weight (26.82), grain yield (6.0 t ha^-1) and straw yield (8.35 t ha^-1). The highest grain yield (6.45 t ha^-1) was found in BRRI dhan72 combined with USG 1.8 g/4 hills and P, K, S, Zn + poultry manure 2.5 t ha^-1and the lowest grain yield (4.85 t ha^-1) was found in BRRI dhan71 fertilized with poultry manure 5 t ha^-1. From the study, it can be concluded that transplant Aman rice cv. BRRI dhan72 fertilized with USG 1.8 g/4 hills and P, K, S, Zn + poultry manure 2.5 t ha^-1 appears as the promising practice to obtain the highest grain yield.

Identification of terrestrial gastropods species in Sohag Governorate, Egypt

Abd El-Aleem Saad Soliman Desoky — 2018-03-10

The study aims to identify of terrestrial gastropods species in Sohag Governorate during the year 2016 and 2017. The present study was carried out for survey and identification for random land snail in 11 districts, i.e. (Tema, Tahta, Gehyena, El-Maragha, Saqultah, Sohag, Akhmim, El-Monshah, Gerga, El-Balyana, and Dar El-Salam) at Sohag Governorate, Egypt. Samples were collected from 5 different locations in each district during 2016-2017 seasons. The monthly samples were taken from winter and summer crops (areas were cultivated with the field crops such as wheat, Egyptian clover, and vegetables crops. The results showed that found two species of land snails, Monacha obstracta (Montagu) and Eobania vermiculata (Muller). It was also observed that the occurrence of the spread of land snails was increased from the previous periods. The results further indicated that land snails were recorded in Sohag for a second time more widespread and may be that this pest moved to these governorates with transportation, passengers from places spread these new places and happened to her adaptation and after have transferred from infestation regions so, have adapted under weather factors of new region also, several factors e.g., the presence of more preferable food, shelter, intra-specific competition, fecundity increasing, several hosts or habitat in the new ecosystems. Therefore, this study gives an interesting indication of the development of a plan in effective strategy for land snail’s management program in agro ecosystems in Upper Egypt.

Impact of jute retting on physicochemical profile of Chhariganga oxbow lake in Nadia district, West Bengal, India

Dipankar Ghosh — 2018-03-10

The present study was carried out to assess the ecosystem of the Chhariganga, an oxbow lake in eastern India to assess the pollution due to jute retting and trophic status on broader aspects for its sustainable management. The physicochemical analyses of the studied oxbow lake showed the range with annual mean values of surface water temperature in ºC (11-37, 27.64±6.56), water transparency in cm (16-106, 45.82±23.39), water pH (7.4-8.8, 8.17±0.34), DO (2.60-7.85, 4.65±1.52 ppm), BOD (1.10-6.40, 2.98±1.59ppm), COD (70-90, 79±7.38ppm), NH₄-N (0.026-0.093, 0.05±0.02ppm), NO₂-N (0.008-0.08, 0.03±0.02ppm), NO₃-N (0-2.459, 0.81±0.69ppm), OP (0.067-0.62, 0.26±0.18ppm), total alkalinity (82-165, 120±24.03ppm), total hardness (70-138, 102.62±19.60ppm), GPP (0.30-1.80, 1.25± 0.47mgC/l/day), NPP (0.15-1.38, 0.95± 0.40mgC/l/day); sediment pH (6.8-7.9, 7.53±0.34) and sediment organic carbon in % (1.87-2.89, 2.17±0.28). The highest mean values of BOD (4.59ppm), COD (86.67ppm), OP (0.50ppm), sediment organic carbon (2.29%) were observed during monsoon whereas the lowest values of oxbow lake water’s transparency (27.00cm), pH (7.84), DO (3.63ppm) and NO₂–N (0.01 ppm) contents were found during monsoon when jute retting process intensified in the oxbow lake. Compared to their values in pre-monsoon, mean values in monsoon showed an increase in BOD (182.57%) and OP content (167.64%) unlike reduction in water transparency (62.54%), GPP and NPP (both reduced by about 50%); The highest concentration of NH₄-N and NO₃-N were noticed during post-monsoon and OP during monsoon. The water transparency mean values showed sharp fall during monsoon from pre-monsoon. Physico-chemical analyses revealed that almost all parameters in oxbow lake did not show significant changes throughout the year unlike water transparency, BOD_,NO₂ and especially OP content of water which otherwise showed significant changes throughout the year. The present semi-closed oxbow lake water was of poor to moderate quality and it was classified as oligo-mesotrophic in nutrient status with high to moderate organic pollution due to jute retting process which needs to be controlled and regulated for sustainable aquaculture in oxbow lake ecosystem.

Effects of mulching on growth and yield components of selected varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under field condition

Akter — 2018-03-10

Wheat is facing increased high temperature during its grain filling period in Bangladesh which reduces yield drastically. Mulching may help to mitigate this problem. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from November 2015 to March 2016 to find out growth and yield performance of wheat as influenced by mulching. The experiment comprised of two factors viz., variety and mulching. The variety comprised of BARI Gom-26, BARI Gom-27 and BARI Gom-28. Mulching comprised of four different levels of treatments viz.no mulch + no irrigation (control), water hyacinth mulch + no irrigation, rice straw mulch + no irrigation and two irrigations at CRI and flowering stage. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. BARI Gom-28 showed the highest values in growth parameters (plant height, number of total tillers hill^-1, LAI, chlorophyll content and total dry matter) at 30, 45 and 60 DAS. On the other hand, when mulching was compared, rice straw mulch gave higher yield compared to other treatments at 30, 45 and 60 DAS. The interaction effect of variety and mulching showed significant in relation to yield and yield components except plant height, spike length, 1000- grain weight and harvest index (%). The tallest plant (93.20 cm) was obtained from the interaction of BARI Gom-28 and rice straw mulch. The highest number of total tillers hill^-1 (4.80), number of effective tillers hill^-1 (4.57), spike length (10.23), number of spikelets spike^-1 (21.15), 1000-grain weight (48.54 g), grain yield (5.20 t ha^-1), straw yield (7.27 t ha^-1), and harvest index (41.71%) were obtained from the interaction of BARI Gom-28 and rice straw mulch. The lowest grain yield was obtained from BARI Gom-26 and control (no mulch + no irrigation). It may be concluded from the results of the study that, BARI Gom-28 with rice straw mulching treatment can be used for successful cultivation of wheat.

Interactive effects of soil salinity and water table depth on soil properties and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) production

Taia A. Abd El-Mageed — 2020-03-10

Soil salinity and water table are the most prevalent and widespread problems limiting crop productivity in irrigated agriculture. Our experiment aims to evaluate the effect of soil salinity and water table on some soil properties, growth, and yield of sorghum (variety Giza 15) grown along two successive seasons. Nine different sites were chosen, representing three levels of soil salinity (i.e. ECe < 4, 4-8 and 8-16 dS m^-1). For each salinity level three water table were selected (i.e. shallow ≈ 55 cm, medium ≈ 80 cm and deep ≈ 120 cm). Results revealed that there are main considerable effects of salinity and water table on some soil properties. Increasing of salinity caused significant decreases in plant growth, weight of 1000 grains (g), protein content% and seed yield (t/ha) which decreased by 36.98%, 32.27%, 20.45%, 29.95 % and 57.46% respectively, when salinity increased from S₁ to S₃. On the other hand, decreasing of water table lead to improvement in all mentioned soil properties and plant growth. The results indicated that need to maintain low or moderate salinity and deep water table, which is essential for producing high sorghum grain yield with satisfactory quality.

Weed competitiveness of winter rice (Oryza sativa L.) under modified aerobic system

Md. Altamas Arefin — 2020-03-10

The study was conducted during winter season (February-June) of 2016 at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Fourteen rice varieties namely, BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan29, BRRI dhan47, BRRI dhan50, BRRI dhan55, BRRI dhan58, BRRI dhan59, BRRI dhan67, Binadhan-5, Binadhan-6, Binadhan-8, Binadhan-10, BRRI hybriddhan3 and Agrodhan14 were grown under weedy and weed- free conditions. Plots with no rice were also maintained to study the natural growth of weed in absence of rice. Primed rice seeds were dry seeded following 25 cm ×15 cm spacing with 5 seeds hill^-1 on non-puddled soil. Plots were surface irrigated as and when necessary to maintain aerobic condition (at around field capacity) up to heading stage followed by wet condition from heading to grain filling stage. The results revealed that rice varieties varied widely in yield performance and weed suppressive ability. Among varieties, BRRI dhan59 allowed the minimum weed growth (20.8 g m^-2) while Binadhan-5 allowed the maximum weed growth (65.8 g m^-2). Grain yield ranged from 2.2 t ha^-1 (BRRI dhan55) to 4.67 t ha^-1 (Binadhan-5) under weed-free condition and from 0.62 t ha^-1 (BRRI dhan55) to 2.48 t ha^-1 (BRRI dhan59) under weedy condition. Weed infected relative yield loss ranged from 40.1% to 78.2% among varieties. BRRI dhan59 incurred the least yield penalty (40.1%) while Binadhan-5 performed the best in terms of grain yield (4.67 t ha^-1) but its weed inflicted relative yield loss was higher (76.4%) than any other variety with low yield potential. BRRI dhan59, on the other hand, appeared as the most weed competitive variety (only 40.1% relative yield loss) with yield of 4.19 t ha^-1. Present study confirms that the varieties tested under study varied widely in terms of weed suppressive ability and yield performance. Considering both yield and weed competitiveness, BRRI dhan59 can be recommended for cultivation following modified aerobic system.

Effect of integrated nutrient management on growth and productivity of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal in Kymore Plateau and Satpura hills of Madhya Pradesh, India

Atul Kumar Shrivastava — 2018-06-10

The field experiment was carried out at the Dusty Acres Farm, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya (JNKVV), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh to study the effect of integrated nutrient management for growth and yield of Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal (Variety: Jawahar Ashwagandha-134). Tallest plants (49.35 cm) were observed at harvest stage, whereas higher number of branches per plant (5.78) of W. somnifera was observed at 90 DAS with T11, respectively. The mean number of leaves per plant (125.40) and LAI (10.345) of W. somnifera was higher at 90 DAS with T11. Mean CGR was maximum (2.536 g m^-2week^-1) and mean RGR was highest (0.098 gg^-1day^-1) of W. somnifera at 90 DAS and thereafter decline at 120 DAS and harvest stage with T11. Whereas, mean dry matter (1392.60 kg/ha) production of W. somnifera was higher at harvesting stage of crop with T11. Significantly higher mean root length (16.30 cm), root girth (2.26 cm) and mean dry root yield (612.8 kg/ha) of W. somnifera was recorded under T11 than the rest of treatments. Mean number of berries per plant (30.78) and mean number of seeds per berry (194.17) of W. somnifera were significantly higher under T11. Higher mean seed yield (62.6 kg/ha) and harvest index (43.61%) of W. somnifera was observed under T11 as compared to other treatments. Therefore, 100% recommended dose of NPK through fertilizers along with vermicompost (2.5 t/ha), FYM (5.0 t/ha) and ZnSO₄ 20kg/ha (T11) followed by 50% recommended dose of NPK through fertilizers along with vermicompost (2.5 t/ha), FYM (5.0 t/ha) and ZnSO₄ 20kg/ha (T14) and 100% recommended dose of NPK through fertilizers along with vermicompost (2.5 t/ha) and ZnSO₄ 20kg/ha (T10) were found to be better integrated nutrient management for the cultivation of W. somnifera.

Response of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) to vermicompost, mycorrhiza and micronutrients mixture

Manisha Dhayal — 2018-06-10

A field experiments on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L Moench) cv. Arka Anamika” was conducted at Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalrapatan city, Jhalawar during the Kharif 2016-17 to study the effect of vermicompost, mycorrhiza and micronutrients mixture of 16 treatment combination i.e. vermicompost with two levels (2 tons/ha and 4 tons /ha), mycorrhiza with one level (Mycorrhiza seed treatment) and micronutrients mixture with two levels (50 ppm and 100 ppm). The observations revealed that the plant height of A. esculentus after 60 DAS (74 cm), plant height after 90 DAS (79.71cm), number of leaves / plant (43.17), main steam diameter (5.52 cm), number of primary branches per plant (5.10) of A. esculentus and lowest days to first flower bud emergence (33.53) of A. esculentus was noted maximum as compared to control. The results indicates that plant height, number of leaves per plant, main stem diameter, stem girth, number of primary branches increased significantly due to application of different levels of vermicompost, mycorrhiza and micronutrients mixture as compared to control. It is postulated that the vermicompost 2tons and 4tons + mycorrhiza seed treatment + micronutrients mixture 50ppm and 100ppm may positively regulate the A. esculentus growth improved. Therefore, application of vermicompost, mycorrhiza along with a mixture of micronutrients played a significant role on enhancing the growth of okra (A. esculentus) and can be applied to obtain the maximum crop yield of okra (A. esculentus).

Health risk assessment of metals transfer from soil to the edible part of some vegetables grown in Patuakhali province of Bangladesh

Md. Saiful Islam — 2018-06-10

This study was conducted to investigate the contamination and chemical speciation of six heavy metals like Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb in soil, their transfer to the edible parts of vegetables i.e. Brinjal (Solanum melongena), Green amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus), Red amaranth (Amaranthus Gangeticus), Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima), Chili (Capsicum annuum L), Carrot (Daucus carota), Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), Onion (Allium cepa), Potato (Solanum tuberosum) and Lentil (Lens culinaris). The ranges of heavy metals in soil were 3.7-41, 3.9-36, 7.6-46, 2.3-26, 0.61-13 and 4.5-32 mg/kg for Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb, respectively. The metals were mainly associated with the residual fractions of 39%, 41%, 40%, 40%, 34% and 41% for Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb, respectively. In the edible tissues of vegetables, the concentrations of As, Cd and Pb in most vegetable samples exceeded the maximum permissible levels, indicating not safe for human consumption. Target hazard index (HI) value indicates people would experience health risk due to consumption of vegetables. The carcinogenic risk (TR) of As and Pb through consumption of vegetables were higher than the USEPA threshold level (10⁻⁶), indicating potential cancer risks.

Effects of oxytetracycline residues in Thai Koi (Anabas testudineus Bloch) collected from Sylhet, Bangladesh

A.K. Apurbo Barman — 2018-06-10

The present study was conducted to determine the levels of oxytetracycline residues in Thai Koi (Anabas testudineus Bloch) collected from some local fish markets of Sylhet Sadar Upazilla, Bangladesh during March to August, 2016. For the purpose of the study, 24 fresh Thai Koi fish samples were randomly collected from four (4) local markets of Sylhet Sadar Upazilla. Concentration of oxytetracycline residues in collected fish samples were determined by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) at the Food Toxicology Laboratory of Institute of Food Science and Technology, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhaka. The results showed that 9 (37.50%) samples with detectable amount of oxytetracycline residues (mean = 42.30±3.00 ppb) were found in Thai Koi. Oxytetracycline residues level below detection limit was also reported in 15 (62.50%) samples of Thai Koi during this study. The detected residues of oxytetracycline in this fish sample did not exceed the maximum residue limit (MRL) 100 ppb recommended by the European Commission. Though residue level of oxytetracycline is lower than the MRL but long term exposure could be hazardous for human health. For that reason, control of antibiotic usage in aquaculture, regular residue monitoring, legislations and regulations for the use of antimicrobials in aquaculture and food safety education are utmost things in this regard.

Response surface methodology based optimization of cadmium and lead remediation from aqueous solution by water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes [Mart.] Solms) and its anatomical study

Vinod Kumar — 2018-06-10

This experiment was performed to optimize the response surface methodology (RSM) based reduction of cadmium (Cd²⁺) and lead (Pb²⁺) from the aqueous solution and to study anatomical effects of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ stress on stomata of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes [Mart.] Solms) during phytoremediation. Laboratory experiments were carried out to grow E. crassipes plants in six treatments of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ viz., 0 mgL^-1 (Control), 2 mgL^-1, 4 mgL^-1, 6 mgL^-1, 8 mgL^-1 and 10 mgL^-1 in 25 liter capacity glass aquariums. A 2-factor central composite design (CCD) with total 25 experimental runs and the predictor regression model equation was applied to optimize the prime conditions for the Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ reduction. Different plant growth attributes viz., translocation factor; kinetic plant growth rate, fresh plant biomass and total chlorophyll content were also found highest up to 4 mgL^-1 concentration of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺. Structural damage in the stomata of E. crassipes was evaluated under microscopic view and found that above 4 mgL^-1 concentration of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ in the medium, significant structural damage to the stomata of leaves of the E. crassipes occurred. The results of this study concluded that E. crassipes can remediate Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ from the medium more efficiently at 1.22 mgL^-1 concentration and the developed model can be used to navigate the design space. Furthermore, the different plant growth attributes were also affected above 4 mgL^-1 concentration of Cd²⁺ and Pb²⁺ in the medium.

Grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) fails to consistently respond to N-fertilizer when grown on a Tunica clay soil in the lower Mississippi River Valley, USA

H. Arnold Bruns — 2018-06-10

Information on producing grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) on clay soils found in the Mississippi Delta and similar regions is comparatively limited to what is known for the crop in other environments, especially regarding nitrogen fertility. A study conducted in 2014 and 2015 on a Tunica clay soil (clayey over loamy, montmorillonitic, non-acid, thermic, Vertic Halaquept) examined the effects of three N-fertilizer rates (0.0, 112.0, and 224.0 kg N ha^-1) on yield and yield components of six commercially available hybrids. The 2014 seeding did not require irrigation while three irrigations were applied in 2015. No yield differences in hybrids or N-fertility treatments were observed in 2014 likely due to waterlogged soil, resulting in denitrification, but added N did increase yields in 2015. No consistent differences in yield or yield components occurred between hybrids either year. Yields in 2014 and at 0.0 or 112.0 kg ha^-1added N-fertilizer in 2015 were sub-standard to regional variety trial data. Rates of N-fertilizer of at least 224.0 kg N ha^-1appear necessary for grain sorghum grown on clay soils in the humid sub-tropics.

Effect of sunlight and artificial light on micropropagation of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plantlets

S. Rehana — 2018-06-10

Fluorescent lamps (artificial light) and sunlight were used as lighting source in present study to identify feasibility of using sunlight in plant tissue culture laboratory. In vitro regenerated nodal segments of the cardinal variety of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) were inoculated in MS medium without any growth regulator for shoot and root development. After 30 days of culture in an average temperature at 21.94±0.21°C, relative humidity 39.35±0.75%, various morphological responses i.e. plantlet height, diameter of plantlet, number of nodes per plantlet, inter node distance, number of leaves per plantlet, fresh and dry weight of plantlets , number of root, length of root, growth rate etc. were recorded. The average light intensity at sunlight and artificial treatment was observed at 4805.5±326.54 lux and 3484±84.44 lux, respectively. All the growth factors performed better result in sunlight treatment than those of artificial one except average number of nodes and leaves. The average height of plantlet at sunlight was 53.33±3.32 mm which was greater than that of artificial light 51.67±2.15 mm. Fresh weight and dry weight are two important morphological factors for plantlet and in case of fresh weight that was always greater 0.49±0.097 in sunlighted plantlet and 0.21±0.026 in artificial one. In case of dry weight the average weight 0.08±0.016 was greater in sunlighted plantlet than that of 0.03±0.004 in artificial one. Number of roots, root length and growth rate of the plantlets observed higher in sunlighted plantlets compared to artificial light. Moreover, the sunlighted plantlets were healthier, vigorous and strong which helped plants to establish in net house easily. Considering the cost of electricity consumption, from a laboratory area of 20.47 m² BD Taka 63% could be saved in each month by using sunlight. As low cost options of energy saving in tissue culture laboratory using sunlight would be feasible and environmentally friendly technology for commercial point of view in Bangladesh.

Phytocomposition and pharmacological importance of Paris polyphylla (Smith.) and needs of its conservation in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Temin Payum — 2018-06-10

Paris polyphylla Smith. is a well-known herbal medicine. In Arunachal Pradesh, P. polyphylla has drawn much attention among villagers, print media and the wild life government officials. With the advantage of suitable climate, soil, geographical and weather conditions, this healing herb grows luxuriantly in Arunachal Pradesh but the excessive extraction of this species for illegal trading has resulted into the alarming loss of natural populations. The present study was carried out to study the distribution, population status and chemical compositions of P. polyphylla in Arunachal Pradesh. To answers the objectives of the studies; Interview, Personal observation, field visit and GCMS were used in the study methods. The results of present study reflect unscientific collection, illegal trading, drastic loss of natural population in Arunachal Pradesh; the ethanolic extract gave forty five phytocompounds with numbers of health wellness compounds. Antidepressant, anti uric acid forming compound, anti-cancer, antihypertensive, compounds useful in Parkinson’s disease care and immune system improvement are the major phytocompounds present in P. polyphylla stem. Linolein, 2- mono was found to occupy highest area percentage in TIC peak report with 20.21% while Spirost-5-EN-3-OL, (3.beta. 25R) occupy second highest with 15.31 percent area, respectively. The present study shows need of immediate conservational measures, awareness among the villagers, further phytochemical studies and initiation of propagation to increase the population.

Screening of Sesbania accessions based on seed germination and seedling biomass

Sontosh C. Chanda — 2018-06-10

Seedling emergence and germination percentage of seeds play a vital role for optimum plant population and biomass yield maximization of a crop in the field. An experiment was carried out at Plant Systematics Laboratory of the Department of Crop Botany, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, during the month of April to May 2016 for the screening of Sesbania accessions based on seed germination, vigour index and initial biomass yield. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with four replications. One hundred and ten Sesbania accessions were used as experimental materials. Four hundred healthy seeds, 100 seeds as one replication, of each accession were spread uniformly on containers for the germination test. Cumulative germination percentage of seeds was counted daily up to 10 days. After 10 days, 40 seedlings (10 from each replication) were taken from each accession and measured. Quantitative descriptors viz. emergence (%) and germination (%) of seeds, vigour index, shoot length, root length, base diameter and biomass yield, varied significantly. Based on quantitative descriptors, Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) and Principal Component analyses (PCA) were conducted. In PCA, the first three principal components explained 82.64% of the total variations. In AHC, three individual clusters were developed and six accessions always remained in the same cluster. These six accessions could belong to same species. Based on their seed germination and initial seedling growth, five accessions performed better and selected for further study. Field trials of these accessions are needed to recommend one or more accessions as cultivar(s).

Growth of Agathis dammara (Lamb. Rich.) seedling on gold tailing with addition of coconut shell charcoal and compost

Basuki Wasis — 2018-06-10

Tailing produced by gold mining activities may cause environmental damage, such as decreasing of soil fertility and endangering ecosystem. Tailing also can decrease the soil chacaracteristics and its fertility. Thus, it is not able to carry the plant growth as well. The addition of coconut shell charcoal and compost on tailing may improve the condition of soil properties (physical, chemical, and biological) and its fertility. Agathis dammara (Lamb. Rich.) is one of pioneer tree species that can be potentially used on revegetation process in post mining land. This research was carried out to assess the effect of adding coconut shell charcoal and compost on the growth of A. dammara seedling in tailing medium. This research uses complete random design (CRD) factorial. The result of this research shows that giving coconut shell charcoal and compost manure does not have significant effect to all parameter viz height, diameter, total wet weight (TWW), total dry weight (TDW), and root-shoot ratio (RSR) of A. Dammara. The addition of coconut shell charcoal and compost gave the significant effects on total dry weight (TDW) of A. dammara seedling. The best treatment was the addition of 0 g coconut shell charcoal and 20 g compost (A0B1). Generally, the addition of coconut shell charcoal and compost could improve the soil characteristics and support the growth of the A. dammara seedling on tailing medium.

Effects of nitrite concentrations on soil and certain vegetables irrigated with wastewater of Kubanni stream in Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

S.O. Oladeji — 2018-06-10

The study examined the effect of nitrite ions in wastewater, soil and vegetables through man-made activities. Nitrite level was determined in wastewater, soil and vegetables viz., spinach (Amaranthus hybridus), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), cabbage (Brassica oleracea), carrot (Daucus carota), okra (Hibiscus esculentus), onion (Allium cepa) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculenetum) collected on seasonal basis along Kubanni stream in Zaria. The levels of nitrate in the wastewater, soils and vegetables were determined using UV/Visible and Smart Spectrophotometer. Results obtained show that nitrite concentrations ranged from 12.05 – 53.21 mg/L in the year 2013 and 1.58 – 17.09 mg/L in the year 2014 for wastewater, soil had concentrations ranged from 0.05 – 6.40 mg/kg in the year 2013 and 0.90 – 9.90 mg/kg for year 2014 while the vegetable had levels of 3.80 – 23.65 mg/kg in the year 2013 and 7.48 – 27.15 mg/kg in the year 2014. Statistical tests indicated no significant difference in nitrite levels across the locations and seasons for wastewater, soil and vegetables evaluated. Correlation results for these two years indicated low (r = 0.399, r = 0.275) relationship for wastewater and vegetables whereas negative (r = -0.290) relationship noticed for the soil. The results showed that irrigating the farmland with untreated wastewater has negative consequence on the crops grown with it and thus, cultivation of wastewater irrigated soils and vegetables should be continuously monitored to stop any possible hazard.

Growth performance of aromatic Boro rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. BRRI dhan50) as influenced by date of transplanting and nutrient management

Nilufar Yeismin Nila — 2018-06-10

The present experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, during December 2015 to May 2016 to find out the effect of transplanting date and nutrient management on the growth performance of aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50). The experiment comprised five dates of transplanting viz. 15 December, 30 December, 15 January; 30 January and 15 February, and four nutrient managements viz., recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer (N, P, K, S and Zn @ 115, 25, 60, 18, 3.5 kg ha^-1, respectively), poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1, 25% less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1, 50% less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Morpho-physiological characteristics were significantly influenced by date of transplanting, nutrient management and their interactions. The highest plant height (71.41 cm) was recorded in early transplanting (15 December) and the lowest plant height (66.29 cm) was recorded when transplanted on 15 February. At 75 DAT, the tallest plant (72.79 cm), the highest number of tillers hill^–1(15.13) and LAI (2.78) were obtained in 25% less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 and the shortest plant (66.63 cm) and lowest number of tillers hill^–1(11.13) were recorded when applied only poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1. The highest dry matter production hill^–1(31.18 g) at 75 DAT was obtained when the crop was transplanted on 15 December and fertilized with 25% less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1. Therefore, aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50) can be transplanted on 15 December fertilized with 25% less than recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 for appreciable growth performance.

Effects of bio-slurry with chemical fertilizer on the performance of some high yielding varieties of boro rice (Oryza sativa L.)

M.N. Hossain — 2018-06-10

Rice yield is greatly influenced by application of manures and fertilizer. Integrated use of organic manure and chemical fertilizer would be quite promising in providing better yield. To evaluate the effect of bio-slurry along with chemical fertilizer, a field experiment was conducted in the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The experiment was comprised of four varieties of boro (dry season irrigated) rice viz., (i) BRRI dhan28, (ii) BRRI dhan29 (iii) Binadhan-8 (iv) Binadhan-10 and four fertilizer management viz., (i) control, (ii) recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer, (iii) bio-slurry@ 5 t ha^-1+ inorganic fertilizer, (iv) farmers’ practice (average 15 farmers). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. It is evident that variety and fertilizer management had significant effect on effective tillers hill^-1, number of grains panicle^-1 which ultimately influenced grain yield. The highest grain yield was (6.03 t ha^-1) in Binadhan-8 followed by Binadhan-10 and BRRI dhan29. The lowest grain yield was found from BRRI dhan28. In respect of fertilizer management, grain yield was highest (5.90 t ha^-1) in bio-slurry @ 5 t/ha + inorganic fertilizer. The lowest grain yield was found from control. The combined effect of variety and fertilizer application showed that highest grain yield (6.10 t ha^-1) was found from Binadhan-8 with bio-slurry @ 5 t ha^-1+ inorganic fertilizer and the lowest grain yield (4.68 t ha^-1) was found from BRRI dhan28 with farmers’ practice. Thus, the variety Binadhan-8 with application of bio-slurry @ 5 t ha^-1 + inorganic fertilizer was superior for obtaining highest yield.

Engineering provitamin A synthesis pathway with β-carotene metabolism in rice endosperm of a restorer line BR827R

S. Rehana — 2018-06-10

Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a serious public health problem in South Asia particularly in Bangladesh. Indica rice as a major staple in the country completely lacks vitamin A or compounds with provitamin A activity after milling. A combination of transgenes has been introduced enabling biosynthesis of provitamin A in the endosperm of a restorer line using biolistic system of transformation. The rice seed-specific glutelin promoter (Gt-1 P) was used to drive the expression of phytone synthase (psy), while lycopene b-cyclase (lcy) and phytoenedesaturase (crtI), fused to the transit peptide sequence of the pea-Rubisco small subunit, were driven by the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus promoter (CaMV35s P). Transgenic plants were recovered through selection with CaMV35sP driven hph (hygromycinphosphotransferase) gene. Molecular analysis demonstrated stable integration and expression of the transgenes. The variable segregation pattern in T1 generation indicated single to multiple insertions of the transgenes in the genome. This is the first report of the development of a transgenic restorer line with carotenogenic pathway into the endosperm for use of hybrid rice improvement.

Impact of integrated nutrient management on vegetative growth and flowering quality of gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus Hort.) cv. American Beauty

Manish Kumar Meena — 2018-09-10

A field study on ‘effects of integrated nutrient management on vegetative growth and flowering quality of gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus Hort.) cv. American Beauty’ was carried out at College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar during 2016-17. It was found that cv. American Beauty with treatment the tallest plants (121.50 cm), maximum number of leaves per plant (9.03), the maximum leaf length (38.20 cm), earliest spike emergence (59.22 days), minimum number of days to floret opening (12.50 days), maximum number of florets per spike (17.53), maximum spike length (108.50 cm), maximum floret diameter (9.01 cm), maximum rachis length (39.03 cm) was found in T₁₂ (RDF 75% + Azotobacter + PSB + Mycorrhiza). The maximum stem diameter (1.52 cm) and maximum spike girth (0.97 cm) was recorded in T₁₀(RDF 75% + PSB + Mycorrhiza). On the basis of foregoing summary, the results may be concluded as follow: The different bio-fertilizer treatments had significant influence on the vegetative growth, flowering and post-harvest of gladiolus in the present study. Application of bio fertilizer singly and in different combinations has significant effect on all the vegetative, floral and corms parameters. Therefore, among various bio fertilizers and their combinations, Azotobacter, PSB and Myccorhiza were found the best, followed by un-inoculated treatment show least value for these parameters during the seasons of experiment.

Shelf life and quality of Sorboti lemon as affected by different chemicals and storage temperature

E. Kayesh — 2018-09-10

A laboratory experiment was conducted with different chemicals and storage temperature (Kinetin + 4°C, kinetin + 15°C, kinetin + 25°C, potash alum + 4°C, potash alum + 15°C, potash alum + 25°C, hot water + 4°C, hot water + 15°C, hot water + 25°C, without treatment + 4°C, without treatment + 15°C and without treatment + 25°C) at the department of Horticulture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahaman Agricultural University during June to December 2017. The aim was the study to find out the suitable method to increase shelf life of Sorboti lemon. During storage fruit decay, weight loss and total soluble solid (TSS) increased. While juice content, ascorbic acid content decreased with the increase in storage temperature. Minimum fruit decay (50%) was recorded up to 70 Days after storage (DAS) at 4°C in hot water treatment and fruit decayed (90%) at 4°C was recorded up to 70 DAS in Kinetin treatment. Minimum loss of fruit weight was recorded at 4°C (7.10% and 11.95%) at 70 DAS when stored in hot water and kinetin, respectively. Maximum juice content (50.11%) after 70 DAS at 4°C in hot water treatment which was followed by Kinetin treatment storage at 4°C (40.10%). The TSS was found almost static at 70 days after storage but ascorbic acid content decreased (59.59 mg/100ml to 43.36 mg/100ml and 63.10 mg/100 ml to 49.11 mg/100ml) from its initial content in hot water and kinetin at 4°C temperature. At 15°C temperature, it can only possible up to 35 days. So, considering fruit decay, weight loss, TSS and juice content lemon could be stored up to 70 DAS at 4°C both under hot water and kinetin treatment. Storing can be done in 35 DAS at 15°C both hot water and kinetin treatment.

Genetic diversity analysis of some Bangladeshi aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.) using simple sequence repeat markers (SSRM)

Md. Ashraful Islam — 2018-09-10

In order to germplasm management, conservation, parental identiﬁcation and proper utilization of aromatic rice germplasm of Bangladesh genetic diversity assessment and molecular characterization is necessary. We used ten microsatellite markers across twenty aromatic rice landraces along with four improved varieties to discriminate and characterize among them. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 8, with an average of 4.30 alleles across 10 loci. A total of 43 polymorphic alleles were detected. The values of Polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.217 to 0.835 (average 0.495) which indicate high genetic diversity among the studied aromatic rice genotypes. It was concluded by the PIC value of RM5339 that it might be the finest marker for diversity estimation and characterize of these aromatic rice genotypes, followed by RM334, RM414 and RM28502 markers. The UPGMA cluster dendrogram constructed in this study identiﬁed seven clusters with a correlation coefficient 0.874. Molecular characterization of aromatic rice landraces of Bangladesh exhibited large variations among the genotypes. Five rice genotypes namely BRRI dhan38, BRRI dhan50, Bashmoti safed, Malaysira, Khas-kani showed highest genetic dissimilarity among the studied rice genotypes. The ﬁndings of this study would be useful for background selection in backcross breeding programs for aromatic rice improvement as well as identification of genetically distant and genetically close accessions for maintenance and conservation.

Combined allelopathic effect of buckwheat and marsh pepper residues on weed management and crop performance of transplant aman rice

Farhana Afroz — 2018-09-10

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from June to December 2016 to evaluate the suppression of weed growth through combined application of buckwheat and marsh pepper residues in transplant aman rice. The experiment consisted of three cultivars i.e. BRRI dhan56, Binadhan-12 and Nizershail, and five different crop residues with their combination such as no residues, 2.0 t ha^-1 buckwheat residues, 2.0 t ha^-1 marsh pepper residues, combined 0.5 t ha^-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha^-1 marsh pepper residues, combined 1.0 t ha^-1 buckwheat and 0.5 t ha^-1 marsh pepper residues. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Weed population and weed dry weight were significantly affected by cultivars and crop residues treatment. The maximum weed growth was noticed with no residues treatment and the minimum was found in combined 0.5 t ha^-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha^-1 marsh pepper residues. The grain yield as well as the yield contributing characters produced at BRRI dhan 56 was the highest among the studied varieties. The highest reduction of grain yield was obtained in no residues) treatment and the lowest was obtained when combined 0.5 t ha^-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha^-1 marsh pepper residues were applied. The highest numbers of effective tillers hill^-1, number of grains panicle^-1, 1000-grain weight, and grain and straw yields were observed in W₃ treatment. BRRI dhan56 under 0.5 t ha^-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha^-1 marsh pepper residues treatment produced the highest grain yield. Results of this study indicates that combination of 0.5 t ha^-1 buckwheat and 1.0 t ha^-1 marsh pepper residues showed potentiality to suppress weed growth. Therefore, crop residues could be used as an alternative tool for sustainable weed management.

Effect of variety and spacing on the yield performance of maize (Zea mays L.) in old Brahmaputra floodplain area of Bangladesh

Md. Rezwanul Hasan — 2018-09-10

The experiments were conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Agricultural University, Mymensingh in Bangladesh during December 2015 to April 2016 to investigate the effect of variety and plant spacing on yield attributes and yield of maize. The experiment comprised of five varieties viz., Khoi bhutta, BARI hybrid maize 7, BARI hybrid maize 9, C-1921, P-3396 and five plants spacing viz., 75 cm × 20 cm, 75 cm × 25 cm, 75 cm × 30 cm, 75 cm × 35 cm and 75 cm × 40 cm. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results revealed that variety and plant spacing had significant effect on the studied crop characters and yield. The highest plant height, highest number of leaves plant^-1, longest cob, maximum diameter of cob, highest number of kernel cob^-1, the highest 1000-grain weight, maximum grain yield and stover yield were observed in BARI hybrid maize 7. On the other hand, the shortest plant, lowest number of cob, diameter of cob, lowest number of grains cob^-1, 1000-grain weight, grain yield and stover yield were observed in Khoi bhutta. The longest plant, highest cob, maximum diameter of cob, highest number of kernel cob^-1 the highest 1000-grain weight, maximum grain yield and stover yield was observed in the spacing of 75 cm × 25 cm. In contrast, the spacing of 75 cm × 30 cm produced the lowest values of the above mentioned plant parameters and also showed the lowest grain yield. In regard to interaction effect of variety and spacing, the highest plant height (232.67 cm), maximum number of cob plant^-1 (1.73), maximum diameter of cob (4.60 cm), highest number of kernel cob^-1 (34), maximum stover yield (12.38 t ha^-1) were observed at the spacing of 75 cm × 25 cm with BARI hybrid maize 7 and resulting in the highest grain yield (9.04 t ha^-1). The lowest values of the above parameters were recorded in the narrowest plant spacing of 75 cm × 35 cm with Khoi bhutta. Based on the experimental results, it may be concluded that maize (cv. BARI hybrid maize 7) can be cultivated with a spacing of 75 cm × 25 cm for appreciable grain yield.

Impact of bauxite mine to natural forest biomass and soil properties in Kas Island, Riau Island Province in Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2018-09-10

In this investigation, the impact of bauxite mine to natural forest biomass and soil properties in Kas Island, Riau Island Province in Indonesia was investigated. On the island of Kas, bauxite mining permits have been issued. Mining activities will cause the destruction of natural forests as a source of wood, loss of flora and fauna, water regulator and medicines, besides it will also cause damage to land and the environment. Reclamation activities undertaken aimed at improving the vegetation structure and soil characteristics that undergo changes due to mine. The research method used is the analysis of vegetation and soil sampling is done by purposive sampling. Laboratory test data from physical and chemical properties of the soil, were analyzed by descriptive and statistical tests. Bauxite mining activities have caused the loss of biomass of natural forests by 168.8 tons / ha. Revegetation activities on bauxite mining sites should be restored through planting trees of Pulcherrimum sp, Laplacea subintegerrima, Calophyllum soulatri, Thesposia populnea, Diosphyros sp, Schima wallichii and Hopea mangarawan. Bauxite mining activities cause changes in soil properties, namely a significant increase in bulk density of 0.55 (76.39%) and a significant decrease in porosity of 22.39 (30.21%), drainage pore of 6.57 (52.77%), water available at 6.41 (36.59 %), permeability is 19.59 (82.69%), C-organic is 12.20 (93.99%), N is 0.47 (85.45%), and P is 29.88 (85.91%). Therefore, bauxite mine activity leads to significant changes in physical properties and soil chemistry properties for bulk density parameters, porosity, drainage pores, available water, and permeability, C-organic, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) of the soil.

A lack of response of irrigated soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) in rotation with cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in the Mississippi Delta, USA

H. Arnold Bruns — 2018-09-10

The effects of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.): soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] rotations on the respective crops are limited. This manuscript discusses the response of irrigated soybean in crop rotation with cotton. An irrigated soybean: cotton rotation experiment was conducted from the year 2012 through 2015 near Elizabeth, MS. The crop rotation sequences were included continuous soybean (SSSS), continuous cotton (CCCC), cotton followed by soybean (SCSC), soybean followed by cotton (CSCS), soybean followed by two year of cotton (SCCS), and cotton followed by two year of soybean (CSSC). The rotations were grown under two production systems conventional and transgenetic with respect to weed control. During this study, a weed control treatment of (pendimethalin pre-emergence vs. glyphosate post-emergence) as included on the soybean plots was used. The soybean yields across rotations within a year were not significantly different. The means yields differed among years (3655.1, 3023.6, 3500.6 and 2600.3 Kg ha^-1 for the year 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively) and appear related to difference in rainfall/irrigation amounts. The results revealed that the weights of 100 seed samples averaged 13.9g in the year 2015 which differed from the previous years (16.2, 15.6, and 16.2g; 2012, 2013 and 2014, respectively). Therefore, the rotations of cotton with soybean appear to have neither a beneficial or negative effect on soybean yield.

Contamination, enrichment and translocation of heavy metals in certain leafy vegetables grown in composite effluent irrigated soil

Vinod Kumar — 2018-09-10

The present investigation was carried out to determine the contamination, enrichment and translocation of heavy metals in vegetables viz., spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) grown in the composite effluent (mixture of industrial and domestic wastewater) irrigated soil. The composite effluent of Hindon River was significantly (P<0.05/P<0.01) loaded with different physical (TDS, EC), chemical (pH, BOD₅, COD, Cl ^–, TKN, PO₄^3-, SO₄^2-, Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺), heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn) and microbial (total bacteria, total fungi, total coliform and yeast) parameters in comparison to the ground water. The composite effluent irrigation significantly (P<0.05) altered the soil characteristics like EC, pH, PO₄^3-, K⁺, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn and Pb in the soil used for the cultivation of S. oleracea, T. foenum-graecum and C. sativum. The composite effluent irrigation significantly increased the contents of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn in the S. oleracea, T. foenum-graecum and C. sativum. The enrichment factor of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn in vegetables was recorded to be plant part specific after irrigation with composite effluent. The enrichment factor of Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb and Zn were recorded in the order of Cd>Zn>Pb> Fe>Cr>Mn>Cu for S. oleracea, Cd>Zn>Fe>Mn>Pb>Cr>Cu for T. foenum-graecum and Cd>Zn>Pb>Fe>Cu>Mn>Cr for C. sativum after irrigation with composite effluent. Therefore, disposal of sewage and industrial effluents in the Hindon River must be strictly prohibited to save the existence of the Hindon River and irrigation practices using composite effluent should also be banned to prevent the possible health hazards due to consumption of contaminated vegetables.

Impact of nutrient management on the yield performance of some aromatic fine rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties in Boro season

Antora Adhikari — 2018-09-10

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, during November 2016 to April 2017 to study the impact of nutrient management on the performance of aromatic fine rice in Boro season. The experiment comprised three varieties viz., BRRI dhan50, Basmati and BRRI dhan63; and seven nutrient managements viz., poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1, recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (i.e. 250, 126, 120, 100 and 10 kg N-P-K-S-Zn, respectively ha^-1), 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1, 50% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1, vermicompost @ 10 t ha^-1, 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost 5 t ha^-1, 50% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost @ 10 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results revealed that variety, nutrient management and their interaction exerted significant influence on yield components and yield of aromatic fine rice in Boro season. The highest grain yield (4.09 t ha^-1), straw yield (6.20 t ha^-1) and harvest index (39.37%) were obtained in BRRI dhan63 while the lowest grain yield (3.44 t ha^-1) and harvest index (36.54%) were found in Basmati. In case of nutrient management, the highest grain yield (4.31 t ha^-1) was recorded in recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (i.e. 250, 126, 120, 100 and 10 kg N-P-K-S-Zn, respectively ha^-1) which was as good as 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost @ 5 t ha^-1and 25% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 while the lowest one (2.74 t ha^-1) was found in vermicompost @ 10 t ha^-1. In case of interaction, the highest grain yield (5.30 t ha^-1) was obtained in BRRI dhan63 along with 50% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost @ 10 t ha^-1 while the highest straw yield (7.20 t ha^-1) was produced in BRRI dhan63 fertilized with recommended dose of chemical fertilizers (i.e. 250, 126, 120, 100 and 10 kg N-P-K-S-Zn, respectively ha^-1). Therefore, it can be concluded that BRRI dhan63 can be grown with 50% less than recommended dose of chemical fertilizer + vermicompost @10 t ha^-1 in Boro season to obtain the highest grain yield.

Performance of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) lines with different plantation time during rainy season

M. Ratna — 2018-09-10

The experiment was conducted during April to September, 2016 at Spices Research Sub-Centre, Faridpur to evaluate the performances of four chilli lines with BARI Morich-2 as check and to select the suitable planting time during rainy season. The experimental field belongs to high land of Low Ganges River Floodplain (AEZ 12) with clay loam in texture. The experiment was laid out in RCB design with three replications. Four lines and a variety viz., C0711, C0712, C0713 and C0714 and BARI Morich-2 as check were evaluated with three planting time viz., 01April, 15 April and 30 April. Seedlings of 40 days old were transplanted maintaining of 50cm × 50cm spacing in each case. The crop (Green chilli) was started to harvest from July and completed on August-September, 2016.Among the lines, C0712 emerged as superior in terms of maximum number of fruits/plant (225.7) and weight of fruits/plant (478.6g) and fresh yield (15.43t/ha) while the highest single fruit weight (3.217 g) was found from C0714. The 15 April planting date emerged as best in terms of maximum weighed fruit (2.661g), weight of fruits/ plant (409.3 g), number of fruits/plant (182.5) and fresh yield (12.14 t/ha). The interaction effect showed that lineC0712 transplanted on 15 April gave the heavier fruits/plants (542.2 g) with maximum number of fruits/plant (241.3)and maximum fresh yield (16.73 t/ha). The 15 April planting was ideal for rainy season chilli evaluation and the line C0712 was the most stable performing line with respect to different planting dates.

Status of fish and shellfish diversity and their decline factors in the Rupsa River of Khulna in Bangladesh

Sazzad Arefin — 2018-09-10

The study was aimed to find out the present status and causes of fish and shellfish diversity reduction in the Rupsa River of Bangladesh. Studies were conducted for a period of 6 months from July to December 2016. Focus group discussions (FGD), questionnaire interviews (QI) and key informant interviews (KII) were done to collect appropriate data from the local fishers and resource persons. A total of 62 species of fish and shellfish from 23 families were found in the river and 9 species disappeared in last 10 years. The species availability status was remarked in three categories and obtained as 14 species were commonly available, 28 species were moderately available and 20 species were rarely available. The highest percentage of fishes was catfishes (24.19%). There was a gradual reduction in the species diversity from previous 71 species to present 62 species with 12.68% declined by last 10 years. Average fish catch per fishermen per day reduced from 8.35 kg to 2.95 kg in last 10 years. Combined effects of some manmade and environmental factors are responsible for the loss of biodiversity. Majority of the respondents (90%) agreed that two manmade factors namely overfishing and navigation are mainly responsible for the loss of fish and shellfish diversity in the river followed by use of illegal fishing gears (86%), pollution (72.5%) and urbanization (64%). During the survey, 93.25% respondents reported water depth reduction as the main environmental factor followed by siltation and sedimentation (91%), temperature (61.75%) and turbidity (56%). The present work recommends preventing water pollution, maintaining fishing gears, increasing fishers’ awareness, implementing fisheries laws and establishing fish sanctuary to conserve finfish and shellfish diversity in the river. Moreover, counter and random surveys are also recommended to crosscheck the fishes’ status and decline causes for ensuring their proper management and conservation.

Effect of biofertilizer and weeding regimes on yield performance of bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

F.M.J. Uddin — 2018-09-10

In order to assess the effect of biofertilizer and weeding regimes and their interaction on the performance of bush bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), a field experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh following randomize complete block design (RCBD) with three replications during winter season, in 2017. The experiment consisted of five treatments of biofertilizer (B₀= no biofertilizer, B₁= 1.0 Kg biofertilizer ha^-1, B₂= 1.5 Kg biofertilizer ha^-1, B₃ = 2.0 Kg biofertilizer ha^-1, B₄= 2.5 Kg biofertilizer ha^-1) and four level of weeding W₀= No weeding, W₁ = One weeding at 15 DAS, W₂ = Two weeding at 15 DAS and 30 DAS, W₃ = Three weeding at 15 DAS, 30 DAS and 45 DAS. Yield contributing characters were significantly influenced by biofertilizer and weeding regimes. In case of attributes affected by yield factor for biofertilizer the highest plant height, weight of seed plant^-1, grain and stover yield in 1.5 Kg biofertilizer ha^-1, number of seed plant^-1 in 1.0 Kg biofertilizer ha^-1, weight of 1000 seeds in no biofertilizer and harvest index in 2.0 Kg biofertilizer ha^-1 treatments were observed. Considering yield attributes against weeding regimes, the highest plant height, grain yield, stover yield and harvest index in three weeding, weight of seeds plant^-1 and weight of 1000 seeds in two weeding were found. In case of interaction effect highest plant height in B₂W₃, weight of seeds plant^-1 in B₄W₂, weight of 1000 seeds in B₁W₃, grain yield in B₃W₃, stover yield in B₃W₃ and harvest index in B₀W₃ were observed. The results obtained in experiment indicate that there is ample scope to increase the yield of bush bean by applying proper dose of biofertilizer and management of weeding regimes.

Adding benefits to phytoremediation of sugar mill effluent by growing water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes): Evaluation of biomass for biogas production

Vinod Kumar — 2018-09-10

In this experiment, we assessed the phytoremediation potential of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) for pollutants removal from sugar mill effluent amended at different concentrations and further biogas production from its grown biomass co-digested with cow dung in a laboratory scale anaerobic digester. The results showed that the maximum values of kinetic growth rate (2.56gg^-1d^-1), total chlorophyll content (4.10±0.10mg/gfwt.) and fresh plant biomass (393.87±4.67g/Kg) of E. crassipes were achieved in 75% concentration of sugar mill effluent after 60 days of phytoremediation experiments. Also, the enrichment factor (E_f) and bioaccumulation factor (B_f) of heavy metals were greater than or equal to 1 in the roots and leaves of E. crassipes which indicated efficient elimination of these metals from the sugar mill effluent. Significant values of cumulative biogas production (5195 ml) and predicted by modified Gompertz kinetic model (5238.71 ml) were found after 15 days of anaerobic digestion at 40°C with maximum reduction of COD (83.11%) of the substrate slurry. The plot of log(COD) vs. t (HRT) suggested good fitness of first order kinetic equation (R²= 0.9746) for reduction of co-substrate COD. The different kinetic parameters of COD reduction for biogas production viz., a_,xc and k were noted as 6096.12, 7.73 and 0.26, with R² value of 0.99, respectively. The findings of this study concluded that E. crassipes can be used for the phytoremediation of heavy metals and other pollutants most efficiently in 75% concentration of the sugar mill effluent. Additionally, the biomass of E. crassipes grown during phytoremediation can be used for enhanced biogas production.

Appraisal of surface water quality for irrigation collected from Sadar upazila of Jamalpur district, Bangladesh

Arifa Akter — 2018-09-10

An attempt was made to assess surface water quality for irrigation collected from Sadar upazila of Jamalpur district, Bangladesh. Total 22 water samples were collected from the study area and analyzed for various physicochemical parameters following standard protocols at the Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. Major cation and anion chemistry showed their dominance in order of Ca > K > Na > Mg and HCO₃> Cl > SO₄> BO₃> PO₄> CO₃, respectively. The study revealed that 18, 14 and 6 samples were unsuitable for irrigation in respect of HCO₃, K and BO₃contents in water, respectively. Among the heavy metals, the concentration of Pb, Mn, Cd and Cu in water were comparatively higher than the standard limits, which makes 22, 14, 10 and 3 samples problematic for long term irrigation in the study area. Electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) reflected that surface water samples were low to very high salinity (C1-C4) and low alkalinity (S1) hazards classes. As regards to hardness, out of 22 water samples, 2 were very hard, 8 were hard, 11 were moderately hard and only one was soft in quality. The study results concluded that HCO₃, BO₃, K, Pb, Mn, Cd and Cu were the major contaminants in the surface water of Sadar upazila of Jamalpur district, Bangladesh. Finally, the study suggested that the surface water in this area needs to treat to minimize the amount of contaminants before use for irrigation.

Impacts of sediment mining on the hydrochemistry and macrozoobenthos community in a coastal lagoon, Lagos, Nigeria

J.A. Nkwoji — 2018-09-10

The water chemistry and macrozoobenthos assemblage of ten study stations in the Lagos lagoon were studied from December 2016 to May 2017 to assess the impacts of sediment mining on the water quality and the biological indices of the macrozoobenthos. Water and composite benthic samples were collected monthly at each study station and analysed in the laboratory following standard procedures. Except temperature, pH, TSS, salinity and conductivity showed no significant (P>0.05) difference, while the other parameters were not significantly (P<0.05) different among the stations. The sediment grain size analysis of the study area indicated the dominance of sand in sediment. This could be as a result of the dredging of the study area as Lagos lagoon is originally known to have muddy substratum. A total of 1,237 organisms belonging to 3 phyla, 4 classes, 10 families and 10 Species were recorded during the study period. Analysis of benthic community structure of the study area reveals a community dominated by mollusks, with the Bivalve, Aloides trigona contributing 54% and the gastropod, Pachymelania aurita contributing 33% of the total benthic fauna assemblage during the period of study. The fluctuations in the physicochemical parameters, sediments, and the composition, abundance and diversity of the macrobenthic fauna of the study area were largely influenced by the anthropogenic activities. In particular, stations with pronounced sediment mining activities recorded highly turbid water, changed substratum type and defaunisation.

A review on aflatoxins in stored grain food, their sources, mechanisms and possible health hazard

Anjan Chandra Sharma — 2018-12-10

The aflatoxin producing fungi Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus parasiticus, and Aspergillus nomius are highly hepatotoxic, carcinogenic and immunosuppressive which can spread quickly in environment and contaminate stored food. It can lead to serious threats to both human and animal health hazards by causing various diseases. Aflatoxin can breakdown DNA and causes genomic damage during cell division, leading to cancer even death where these breakdown products accumulate in the liver. The chemistry and biosynthesis process of the aflatoxin is discussed in present review study in a nutshell along with their occurrences and the health hazards to human. This review focuses on sources, production, biosynthesis, toxicology, detection, and control techniques of aflatoxins to assure food safety. Present review study is valuable as it provides knowledge on aflatoxins toxicity which helps in food security and safety as well as reduces human diseases in future.

Effect of integrated nitrogen application on the yield of two Boro rice varieties: BRRI dhan29 and BRRI dhan74

Mst. Shirin Akter — 2018-12-10

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of integrated nitrogen (N) application on the yield of Boro rice. The experiment was composed of two rice varieties: BRRI dhan29 and BRRI dhan74, and eleven N management approaches: control (without N), 100% varietal recommended dose (RD) of N from urea, 75% of RD from urea + 25% of RD from poultry manure (PM), 50% of RD from urea + 50% of RD from PM, 25% of RD from urea + 75% of RD from PM, 75% of RD from urea + 25% of RD from vermicompost (VC), 50% of RD from urea + 50% of RD from VC, 25% of RD from urea + 75% of RD from VC, 75% of RD from urea + 25% of RD from cowdung (CD), 50% of RD from urea + 50% of RD from CD and 25% of RD from urea + 75% of RD from CD. Performance of BRRI dhan74 was better compared to BRRI dhan29 in terms of yield. For both verities, application of 75% of RD from urea + 25% of RD from PM produced the highest grain yield (BRRI dhan74: 3.30 t ha^-1and BRRI dhan29: 3.08 t ha^-1) and the lowest with control among the N management approaches. Thus, it can be suggested that integrated N application with 75% of varietal RD from urea and 25% from PM in Boro rice cultivation will produce appreciable grain yield and also expected to have positive effect on soil health.

Current status of bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) disease in major tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) growing areas in Egypt

Sameh Elnaggar — 2018-12-10

A survey was carried out to determine the current status of bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) disease in major tomato growing areas in Egypt incidence and distribution. In the 2014/2015 cropping season in major tomato growing areas of Upper and Lower Egypt. In upper highest incidence of bacterial wilt occurred in Luxour Governorate (10.29%) and lowest in Al- Giza Governorate (9.41%). Wilt severity was recorded (3.44%) in Luxour Governorate and the lowest (2.60%) was recorded in Sohag Governorate. In Lower Egypt Governorates, the highest disease incidence was recorded in Al- Behiera (15.28%) followed by Al-Daqahlia, (13.23), Al- Gharbia (12.41), Kafr Al- Shikh(12.70) and Al- Sharqia (12.14) Governorates. The lowest disease incidence recorded in Al- Suiz Governorate (10.27%), followed by 11.28, 11.58 and 11.67% in Al- Qalioubia, Al- Ismailia and Al- Minoufia Governorates respectively. The highest bacterial wilt severity was recorded in Al- Behiera Governorate, fields (5.70%), followed by Al- Gharbia (4.60%), while the lowest bacterial wilt severity was recorded in Al- Suiz Governorate (2.63%), followed by 3.30, in Al- Qalioubia Governorate. All the collected plants were subjected to PCR to detect the infected samples. The expected 288 bp amplicon was detected in bacterial wilt infected samples from above mentioned governorates and diseases percentage and severity were calculated.

Assessment of morphological and nutritional attributes of two varieties of Ipomoea batatas (L.) utilized in Nigeria

C.V. Ilodibia — 2018-12-10

Morphological and nutritional studies were carried out on various parts of the two varieties of Ipomoea batatas (white fleshed TIS 87/0087 and orange fleshed UMUSPO/3) to determine their morphological and nutritional characteristics using standard techniques. Analysis of variance was employed for data analysis. Result revealed that the two varieties had similar qualitative morphological features but showed variation in their length, breadth, colour and girth. The result of the proximate analysis revealed that the nutrients were present in all the parts of the two varieties investigated but in varied proportions. Protein, fat and ash were highest in the leaves of both varieties when compared to other parts (12.13±0.20mg/100g, 3.92±0.14mg/100g and 2.85±0.06mg/100g of I. batatas respectively. Moisture and carbohydrate were highest in the tubers of both varieties when compared to other parts (10.73±0.22mg/100g and 81.22±3.80mg/100g) respectively while crude fiber was highest in the stem of the two varieties when compared to other parts (26.15±0.29mg/100g). Data obtained indicated that these parts of the two varieties contained appreciable amount of nutrients which could be included in diets to supplement our daily nutrient needs and animal feed. Apart from the tuber eaten by our people, other parts of the plant should also be used as food. Overall data could be a viable tool for sweet potato breeding as an improvement in sweet potato production. Morphological characteristics observed were similar indicating that the two varieties are phyllogenetically related. The data could also be used to enhance proper taxonomic characterization and identification of the species I. batatas.

Effect of age of seedlings on the performance of drought tolerant Aman rice cultivars

Shakil Hosain — 2018-12-10

An experiment was conducted at the Field Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture, Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU), Sonapur, Noakhali, from July 2017 to December 2017 to study the effect of variety and age of seedling on yield performance of drought tolerant transplant aman rice. The experiment consisted of three varieties viz. BINA dhan7, BRRI dhan56 and BRRI dhan71 and five different ages of seedling viz.15 days old, 20 days old, 25 days old, 30 days old, and 35 days old. The experimental design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Among the three varieties, BRRI dhan71 produced the highest grain yield (5.567 t ha^-1) and the lowest grain yield (4.975 t ha^-1) was obtained from BRRI dhan56. Among the five ages of seedlings, the highest grain yield (5.502 t ha^-1) was obtained from 35 days old seedling and the lowest grain yield (5.092 t ha^-1) was obtained from 15 days old seedling. In case of interaction between variety and spacing, the highest grain yield (5.723 t ha^-1) was obtained from BRRI dhan71 with 35 days old seedling and the lowest (4.730 t ha^-1) was obtained from BRRI dhan56 with 15 days old seedling. The result reveals that relatively older seedlings (35-days old) produce higher grain yield compared to the younger ones.

In vitro propagation of two strawberry (Fragaria ananassa Duch.) cultivars of Bangladesh

Tapati Roy — 2018-12-10

An experiment on in vitro propagation of strawberry was carried out at Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Laboratory of Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna, Bangladesh during the period of February to November, 2015. In the experiment, runners of two strawberry cultivars viz. BARI Strawberry^-1 and Modern Strawberry-5 (Festival) were cultured on MS media supplemented with different concentrations of BAP (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 mgL^-1) and Kin (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mgL^-1) for multiple shoot regeneration. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications. The highest number of shoots (10.41) was obtained from Modern Strawberry-5 and maximum shoot length (13.62 mm) obtained from BARI Strawberry-1. Maximum number of shoots (13.33) and shoot length (24.29 mm) were recorded from MS media containing 1.0 mgL^-1 BAP and 1.0 mgL^-1 Kin. Then all the regenerated plantlets were cultured on MS media containing 2.0 mgL^-1IAA for root initiation. Greater reduction in vigor was observed in Modern Strawberry-5 (Festival) when they were transferred to root induction media. Ex vitro survivability of the complete plantlets varied from 36.67 to 6.67%. Maximum survivability of both varieties 36.67% (BARI Strawberry^-1) and 26.67% (Festival) were recorded from MS media supplemented with 1.0 mgL-1 BAP and 1.0 mgL^-1 Kin. For in vitro micropropagation, BARI Strawberry-1 may be better and MS media supplemented with 1.0 mgL^-1 BAP and 1.0 mgL^-1 Kin may be better.

Production oriented survey (POS) on different aspects of rice cultivation and farmers practices under red and lateritic zone of West Bengal, India

R. Mandal — 2018-12-10

Production Oriented Survey (POS) on rice cultivation was conducted by Rice Research Station, Bankura under programme of AICRIP, Directorate of Rice Research (ICAR), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad – 50003 during kharif, 2009 in Red and Laterite zone of West Bengal, India. Purulia, Bankura and some parts of Birbhum, Paschim Medinipur and Burtdwan districts that belongs to Red and Laterite zone of West Bengal. The popular commercial cultivars were Swarna (MTU 7029), Lalat, Jaya, CR 1010, CR 1017 and IR-64. Rice is cultivated as mono crop in this zone. The Indian sub-continent is predominantly characterized by a tropical monsoon climate which determines the success of kharif crops. Biotic constraints like blast, brown spot, sheath blight, sheath rot, grain dis-colouration and bacterial leaf blight (BLB) were in low to moderate intensities. Among insect pests brown plant hopper, green leaf hopper, stem borer, rice hispa and gundhi bugs were recorded in low to moderate intensities in the surveyed districts. Among weeds, Cyperus rotundus, Echinocloa crusgalli, Cyperus iria, Cynodon dactylan and Monochoria sp. were major problem in all the districts. The farmers used mainly hand weeding for control of weeds. Minimum use of pesticides and insecticides were observed.

Effect of cassava peels and palm kernel cake (PKC) on the heamatological and serum biochemical of grower pigs in Nigeria

H. Moseri — 2018-12-10

The research was carried out for a period of ten weeks at the piggery unit of the teaching and research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, Nigeria. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of cassava peels and palm kernel cake (PKC) at 50:50 ratio on the heamatological and serum biochemical of grower pigs. Forty (40) grower pigs of large white were used; pigs were divided into 5 groups based on average initial weights (20-25kg) and each group of grower pigs were respectively allocated to each of the five treatment diets in a completely randomized design (CRD). At the end of the ten (10) weeks feeding trial, the animals were starved of feed for 12 hours before blood samples were collected from two pigs each per treatment from the ear vein using a sterilized disposable syringe and needle. The parameters determine were red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC), total protein, albumin, and globulin and serum cholesterol. The result indicated that heamatological and serum biochemical parameters assessed fall within the normal range and is an indication of good nutrition and adequate nutrient intake. Therefore, the animals did not suffered muscular wastage but efficient utilization of cassava peels and palm kernel cake, ultimately resulted in high tissue deposition across treatment groups.

Phytochemical screening and in vitro antibacterial activity of Moringa oleifera (Lam.) leaf extract

Satinder Pal Kaur Malhotra — 2018-12-10

The aim of the study was to investigate the phytochemical constituents and antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. belonging to family Moringaceae. Distilled water and ethanol was used to extract the bioactive compounds from the leaves of M. oleifera to detect the phytochemical constituents and to screen its antibacterial activity. The phytochemical constituents were screened by qualitative analysis method. The phytochemical screening indicated the presence of tannins, flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, phenols, etc., in leaf extract of M. oleifera. The antibacterial activity of ethanolic leaf extract of M. oleifera was examined against gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli). Antibacterial assay were done with ethanolic extract of M. oleifera in volumes 50, 100, 150 and 200 μL/well, using agar well diffusion method. The study showed that ethanolic extract of M. oleifera showed potent antibacterial activity against S. Aureus and E. coli.

Analysis of economic valuation of environmental damage due to sand mine in Gumulung Tonggoh, Cirebon District, West Java Province, Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2018-12-10

The sand mines at Gumulong Tonggoh in Cirebon Regency use an open mining system. Open mining activities can cause environmental damage and economic losses. The present investigation was carried out to analyze the economic valuation of environmental damage due to sand mine in Gumulung Tonggoh, Cirebon District, West Java Province, Indonesia. The sampling method and environmental damage analysis use purposive sampling. Data of laboratory tests of soil physical, chemical and biological properties was analyzed by statistical tests. The economic method of environmental damage valuation uses the Ministry of Environment guidelines (2006). Sand mining activities cause soil and environmental damage to the soil (soil solum, bulk density, permeability, and soil fauna) and vegetation (land cover). However, sand mining has caused changes in soil properties, namely a significant increase in bulk density of +0.49 (53.85%), reduction in porosity of 18.26 (27.79%), decrease in Ca of -11.17 (60.48%), a decrease in Mg of -5.76 (60.95%), a decrease in CEC of -19.06 (79.88%) and a decrease in the total microorganism of 47.00 (83.19). The total of economic valuation for environmental damage due to sand mining is Rp. 39,349,860,000. Therefore, the sand mining significantly contributed the environmental damage in the Gumulung Tonggoh, Cirebon District, West Java Province in Indonesia.

Effect of plant spacing and integrated nutrient management on the yield performance of Binadhan-14

Roshida Yasmin — 2018-12-10

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from June to December 2014 with a view to finding out the effect of plant spacing and integrated nutrient management on the yield of Binadhan-14. The experiment consisted of three spacing viz., 25 cm × 15 cm, 20 cm × 20 cm and 20 cm × 15 cm and seven nutrient management viz., recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer @ 180-150-70-65-8 kg ha^-1 of Urea-TSP-MoP-Gypsum-ZnSO₄ respectively, cowdung @ 10 t ha^-1, poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1, 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1, 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1, 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + cowdung @ 10 t ha^-1, 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Crop characters, yield components and yield of Binadhan-14 were significantly influenced by spacing, integrated nutrient management and their interaction. The highest number of effective tillers hill^-1(6.81), 1000-grain weight (22.67 g) and grain yield (4.78 t ha^-1) were recorded at the spacing 20 cm × 15 cm while in case of integrated nutrient management, the highest number of grains panicle^-1 (64.47) was found with 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + cowdung @5 t ha^-1, on the other hand, 1000- grain weight (22.91g), and grain yield (5.02 t ha^-1) were found with 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1while the lowest values from poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1. The highest grain (5.53 t ha^-1) and straw (6.23 t ha^-1) yields were found at the interaction of 20 cm × 15 cm spacing fertilized with 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 5 t ha^-1. It can be concluded that short duration Binadhan-14 can be transplanted at the 20 cm × 15 cm spacing fertilized with 50% recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @5 t ha^-1to obtain maximum grain yield.

Evaluation of microbiological quality of dried baim (Mastacembelus armatus) in Bangladesh

Tania Akter — 2018-12-10

A study was performed for five months to assess the microbiological quality of dried Baim (Mastacembelus armatus) in Sylhet region of Bangladesh. A total of 45 dried samples were randomly collected on monthly basis from three different sources of Sylhet region; one from producer (drying yard of Lamagaji) and others from retail market (Bandar Bazar) and control (prepared in laboratory). The mean total plate count (TPC) of dried Baim from producer, retail market and control were observed 6.20 ± 0.72 ×10⁵, 9.64 ± 1.58 ×10⁵ and 1.61 ± 1.06×10⁵ cfu/g, respectively, whereas, average total fungal count (TFC) were estimated 3.77 ± 0.81 ×10³, 4.65 ± 1.08 ×10³and 1.78 ± 0.64 ×10³ cfu/g, respectively. TPC and TFC of dried Baim of retail market were found significantly (P<0.05) highest and significantly (P<0.05) lowest in control samples than others. Twenty five samples from each source were analyzed to determine pathogenic E. coli and Salmonella sp. Hundred percent samples of dried Baim of producer and retail market were found contaminated by E. coli whereas; the controlled samples were free of E. coli. Likewise, the dried Baim samples of producer and retail market were contaminated 60% and 80% respectively with Salmonella. Dried baim sample from market was 100%, producer sample was 62% and control sample was 32% contaminated with fungi. The most common fungus species in samples were Aspergillus fumigatus, Fuserium proliferatum and Rhizopus stolonifer. The overall microbiological quality of control samples was comparatively better than the commercially produced dried Baim in Sylhet region.

Phytoplankton and epipelic algal abundance in relation to bridge construction on Okpoka River in the Upper Bonny Estuary, Nigeria

Ihuoma Ejiowhor — 2018-12-10

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of bridge construction on abundance and composition of phytoplankton and epipelic algae with respect to bridge construction on a section (ATC Okrika Axis) of Okpoka River, upper Bonny estuary in Nigeria. Phytoplankton and epipelic algae were collected in five replicates from six stations (UA – upstream, BA – bridge position, DA – downstream of bridge (reclaimed side) and (UC – upstream, BC – bridge position, DC downstream of bridge (vegetated side -mangrove) side of the river between January and March 2017. Thirty samples were collected per month with appropriate containers, preserved in 5% formalin-water mixture, taken to the laboratory and identified to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Ten species of phytoplankton (Gyrosigma spp., Synedra spp., Navicula spp., Nitzschia spp., Thalassiothrix spp., Coscinodiscus spp., Fragillaria spp., Pleurosigma spp., Cyclotella spp. and Rhizosolenia spp.) all belonging to the Baccillariophyceae (diatoms) were observed. Ten species (Gyrosigma spp., Navicula spp., Synedra spp., Nitzschia spp., Thalassiothrix spp., Coscinodiscus spp., Fragillaria spp., Pleurosigma spp., Cymbella spp. and Cocconeis spp.) of epipelic algae were also observed with the last two species in each group accounting for their differences. Cyclotella and Rhizosolema spp. were observed only on phytoplankton sampled and Cymbella and Cocconeis spp. were observed in epipelic algal samples suggesting minimal differences in composition. Analysis of variance indicated significant difference (P<0.05) in the abundance of both phytoplankton and epipelic algae between stations close to bridge construction compared to others sites farther away. The study therefore, concluded that activities of bridge construction across the Okpoka River impacted on the abundance and composition of phytoplankton and epipelic within the study area. Regular monitoring is recommended particularly after construction in order to detect recovery changes of these important aquatic algae that form the base of the food chain.

Chronic exposure assessment of toxic elements from agricultural soils around the industrial areas of Tangail district, Bangladesh

Ram Proshad — 2018-12-10

The present research was conducted to evaluate the potential ecological and human health risk of toxic elements (Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb) from agricultural soils around the industrial areas of Tangail district in Bangladesh. Potential ecological and human health risk were assessed through enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (Cⁱ_f), geoaccumulation index (I_geo), pollution load index (PLI), toxic unit analysis, exposure pathway, hazard quotient and hazard index. The mean concentration of Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd and Pb in the studied soils were 5.88, 13.92, 18.07, 5.90, 2.19 and 8.08 mg/kg, respectively. The mean values of enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, contamination factor, pollution load index and toxic units were found low for all metals excluding Cd. Considering the severity of potential ecological risk factor for single metal (Eⁱ_r), the descending order of pollutants was Cd > As > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cr. In the perspective of potential ecological risk (PER), soils from all sampling sites indicated moderate to very high PER. Chronic daily intake values were higher in children than the adult for both ingestion and dermal contact as body weight of children was lower than the adult. The non-cancer health risks related to individual element exposure through soil ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation was low for all investigated elements resulted in a HQ < 1, indicating low risk for both adults and children. Considering the total exposure of hazard index of ingestion, dermal contact and inhalation, there was no chance of having non-cancer risk for the inhabitants of the studied industrial area. Carcinogenic risks for both adult and children lying between an acceptable ranges.Bangladesh

Interaction of nitrogen doses and establishment methods in lowland rice at Parwanipur, Bara, Nepal

Mitali Kumari Sah — 2019-03-10

The experiment was laid out in split plot design: three establishment methods were designed (Puddled transplanted rice, Non- puddled transplanted rice, Conventional dry tillage +DSR) as a main plot and four levels of nitrogen rate (0, 60, 120, 180) as sub plot and replicated three times during summer season of 2015 and 2016 at RARS, Parwanipur. Grain yield and other yield attributes like plant height, penicle length and number of tiller per m² of rice was observed significantly differed (p<0.05) between different establishment methods and nitrogen levels. In 2015 there was not significant effect of establishment practices on grain yield but significantly highest grain yield (4603 kg/ha) was obtained from application of nitrogen@120 kg/ha and grain yield decreased with increased of nitrogen application @ 180 kg/ha (4365 kg/ha). Results reveled that significantly higher grain yield was obtained under non puddled transplanted rice (3314 kg/ha) than puddle transplanted rice (3280 kg/ha) which were at par with conventional tillage plus DSR (2123 kg/ha) and significantly highest grain yield (3424 kg/ha) was obtained from application of nitrogen@180 kg/ha during 2016. In both years the highest grain yield was obtained from puddled transplanted rice with the nitrogen application @ 120 kg/ha. Based on two years results, it can be concluded that N is limiting factor for the productivity of rice in Parwanipur. Therefore 120 kg/ha nitrogen could be optimum dose for puddled transplanting and direct seeded rice at Parwanipur condition.

Key to Indian species of genus Brachygrammatella Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) with re-description of B. indica and some new distributional records

Mohd. Yousuf — 2019-03-10

The aim of the study was to re-describe the egg parasitoid Brachygrammatella indica Viggiani and Hayat with some additional morphometric characters, especially of the genitalic component with SEM photography, they are mostly attacked on eggs of hemipterous insect pests and they keep their population under check and balance. During present research, materials were collected from the forestry and adjoining agro-forestry areas of Bihar, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh by sweeping with net and parasitized eggs collection. In this paper Brachygrammatella indica Viggiani & Hayat is re-described with some new distributional records and key to Indian species of genus Brachygrammatella Girault also updated.

Determination of irrigation regime for hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) in dry-land areas of Wag- Himra, North Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia

Aemro Wale — 2019-03-10

A field experiment to evaluate CROPWAT model estimations was conducted during the year 2014 and 2015 on Ziqualla and Abergelle. This field experiment was therefore conducted to determine net irrigation requirements and irrigation schedules of hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) using CROPWAT computer model and to validate using field trial. A split plot design with the main plot of water depth and subplot of irrigation frequency has been used. Three levels of water amount with (I1), (I2), and (I3) CROPWAT generated depth and three levels of irrigation frequency at (5), (7) and (9) days interval were used as a treatment. Additionally, one treatment farmer practice irrigation depth and interval has been used as a control. The experimental result showed that irrigation application of I1 CROPWAT generated depth at 5 days irrigation interval obtained a relatively higher and statistically significant marketable yield, water productivity on both Ziqualla and Abergelle. In terms of economic profitability, it was found that irrigation application I1 CROPWAT generated depth at 5 days irrigation interval had 7.7ton/ha and 6ton/ha economically yield advantageous associated that I2 CROPWAT generated depth with 7 days irrigation interval on Ziqualla and Abergelle, congruently. Considering the above results, irrigation application of I1 CROPWAT generated depth at 5 days interval was found economically feasible and recommended to improve crop and water productivity of the irrigation schemes by saving a significant amount of water for irrigating additional lands for hot pepper (C. annum) crop production both Ziqualla and Abergelle small-scale irrigation schemes.

Current status of bacterial contamination in some fish species of Bakkhali river Estuary, Bangladesh

Sharmin Jahan — 2019-03-10

The present study aims to investigate the isolation of human pathogenic bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. Shigella spp. and Vibrio spp.) and in gills, intestines, skin of fishes of Bakkhali River Estuary, Cox’s Bazar. A total of 50 fish species (25 of Pomadasys hasta and 25 of Glossogobius giuris) were collected from two sampling stations namely Station-1 (Rumalia Chara) and Station-2 (Kusturi Ghat). Bacterial analyses were made by standard methods. Total heterotrophic bacterial load of the isolates was found to be lower than the recommended public health and standard. However, the highest pathogenic bacterial (E. coli, Salmonella spp. Shigella spp. and Vibrio spp.) count at Station-2 might be due to the contamination of municipal and domestic wastes and discharges from small industries that constitute the main pollution source of this estuarine river. Skin was found to be the most preferred organs for higher bacterial load compared to intestine and lower count was recorded in gills. Further research on the microbial quality assessment should be undertaken to prevent pollution of this river estuary.

Screening of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines against salinity under field condition

S. Banik — 2019-03-10

An experiment was undertaken in order to screening wheat genotypes against salinity under field condition with 14 wheat genotypes including 6 check varieties. The genotypes were tested in saline soil where the salinity of the experimental field ranges from 1.5 to 10.3 dS/m during the cropping period. Analysis of variance revealed significant variation among the genotypes for all characters. Phenotypic and Genotypic co-efficient of variation was low for almost all the characters. Phenotypic co-efficient of variation ranged from 8.42 to 23.45 for plant height and yield respectively, while the highest genotypic coefficient of variation (18.90) was observed in yield and lowest (6.83) was found in seed per spike. All of the trait exhibited moderate to high heritability in broad sense (h2b) coupled with a wide range of genetic advance and genetic advance in percentage of mean. Heritability ranged from 37.64`to 91.14 for seed per spike and thousand seed weight respectively. Yield had significant positive correlation with spike length, spikelet per spike, seed per spike, thousand seed weight. On the other hand, yield was found to show a positive relationship with tiller per plant. Tiller per Plant, spikelet per spike, 1000 seed weight were responsible for reduction of yield per plant indirectly. Yield ranged from 1.14 ton/ha to 2.1 ton/ha. The present research work clearly demonstrated that based on field performance considering yield, the genotypes BARI Gom 25 and BARI Gom 26 is best and other some genotypes BAW 1182, BAW 1177 respectively showed their most effective performance on saline soil.

A review on production status and growing environments of rice in Nepal and in the world

Nirmal Gadal — 2019-03-10

Rice is a major food crop for the people of the world. The role of rice is inevitable in the current and future global food security. It is the number one staple food crop in Nepal and contributes significantly to livelihood of majority of people and to the national economy. This article reviews global rice production scenarios; figures out global Mega Rice Environments (MREs) and based on these analyses, the authors developed Nepal’s Rice Production Environments (RPEs). The Asian countries dominate the global rice production. India has the largest area of rice cultivation. China is the world’s largest producer of rice. Rice productivity is highest in Japan. Rice is cultivated in diverse agro-ecosystems. Rice environments are classified mainly based on land types (upland vs. lowland) and water regimes (irrigated and rainfed). The MREs of the world are classified into seven categories (Four irrigated, two rainfed and one for deep water rice). A total of nine RPEs were identified for Nepal- six under irrigated and three under rainfed conditions. The findings of this study are useful for rice researchers, producers and policy makers.

Application of coconut shell charcoal and NPK fertilizer toward Acacia mangium growth on the soil of ex-limestone mining in Bogor, Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2019-03-10

Limestone mining is an activity that can cause damage and negative impact on the environment. Revegetation is needed to be done so that the damaged land condition can be returned in accordance with its designation. Acacia mangium is one of the species that can be used in revegetation of mining area. This study aims to increase the A. mangium growth response at the limestone mining land that can be used as a tool for consideration in revegetation activities. The design used in this experiment was a complete randomized design (CRD) factorial with 2 factors. The first factor was the application of coconut shell charcoal and the second factor was the application of NPK fertilizer. The results showed that the addition of coconut shell charcoal could give effect to the number of nodules with the best dose of 90 g and NPK fertilizer was able to give effect to the growth of diameter and the number of root nodules with the best dose of 15 g.

Determination of seeding rate and inter row spacing on the yield of tef (Eragrostis tef Zucc. Trotter) in the dryland areas of Wag Lasta, North Eastern Amhara, Ethiopia

Alemu Lakew — 2019-03-10

Tef production and productivity in Wag lasta is very low as compared to the national average due to many production constraints, including use of inappropriate agronomic practices and low yielder varieties. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to optimize seeding rate and inter-row spacing of tef in the study areas of Wag-Lasta in 2013 and 2014 cropping season. Five seeding rates (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 kg ha^-1) and three inter row spacing’s (15, 20, 25 cm) were laid out in a factorial RCBD with three replications. An additional plot of broad cast of tef seed with 25 kg/ha as a satellite control was included and making a total of 16 treatments. Grain yield showed significance difference at Woleh 2014 on both seeding rate and inter row spacing and combined analysis by location for the year 2014 cropping season for the factor seeding rate. At Lalibela, grain yield and other agronomic traits did not show a significance difference except days to heading, in case of inter row spacing in 2013 and number of tillers in case of seeding rate in 2014 cropping seasons. Based on the combined analysis result the highest grain yield was recorded from 15 kg/ha seeding rate with 20 cm inter row spacing. Generally sowing of tef with the rate of 15 kg ha-1 and 20cm inter row spacing is effective in attaining higher grain yield and economic benefit.

Investigating the vertical garden applications in Konya City, Turkey: A case study

Safa Aydin Qasim — 2019-03-10

Vertical garden applications have made serious contributions to the environment not only in terms of aesthetics but also in terms of functionality. In this study, vertical garden samples found in Konya city were examined by being photographed in their places. In order to examine the satisfaction of users, the questionnaire which includes questions under the determined headings (socio-economic structure, field uses, and plant elements, plant species) was applied on a voluntary basis. By calculating the universe size according to the population, a questionnaire composed of 28 questions was applied to 400 people randomly selected from people living in the city of Konya. Frequency distribution analysis of the obtained results was performed using SPSS 20 software. According to the results of the study, vertical gardens are perceived as an aesthetic element in Konya city. People accept that vertical gardens are high-cost applications. When the applications abroad are considered, it can be stated that the applications in Konya city are in the beginning phase.

Economics of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) production in terai region of Nepal

Sanjiv Subedi — 2019-03-10

Potato is an important cash crop of Nepal. Research was conducted from January to May, 2018 in Jhapa, Bara and Kailali districts for economic assessment of potato production in terai region of Nepal. Pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect the primary information; moreover, one Focal Group Discussion and two Key Informant Interviews were performed. Furthermore, relevant literatures were reviewed for secondary information. The simple random method of sampling was used within the clusters that were identified in consultation with District Agriculture Development Office, Potato Superzone Office and agricultural officials of the local government. Altogether, 165 samples, 55 samples from each of the three districts were taken for the purpose of the study. The Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft excel software were used for data analysis. The majority of the respond-ents (52.7%) prioritized the source-Own home production/ Neighbors/ Friends as the first major source for seed followed by Cooperatives/ Farmer’s group (20%). More than one third of the farmers (35.2%) sold their produce at Home/Local market/Haatbazar followed by Wholesalers/ Distant market (34.5%). The average gross margin per Kattha from potato production was found NRs. 6604.4 and benefit cost ratio was 2.13. The indexing identified- lack of availability of improved quality seed (I= 0.79) as the most important problem followed by incidence of disease and insect/pest (I= 0.71) for potato production. The provision of technical knowledge to control diseases as well as proper allocation of improved quality seed would help to increase profitability and productivity of potato.

A comparative study on morphology, mineral and vitamin compositions of two variants of Hibiscus sabdariffa (L.)

C.V. Ilodibia — 2019-03-10

Morphological, mineral and vitamin compositions of leaves and seeds of two varieties of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. were evaluated using standard techniques and compared. Analysis of variance was employed in data analyses. Morphological study showed no significant difference in their habit, structure and phyllotaxy but varied mostly in sizes and colour. The red variety had a greater leaf area (94.25±0.310cm²) and petiole length (6.50±0.620cm) than the green variety, whose leaf area and petiole length are 53.95±0.400cm² and 3.60±0.332cm respectively. The minerals and vitamins were found to be present in all the parts of the two varieties investigated but in varying levels. Higher composition of the minerals and vitamins were found in the leaves than the seed. However, the nutrients were higher in the red variety. The results of the study revealed that these parts of the two varieties investigated are nutritious and can contribute significantly to the human health requirements thus could be extracted for the manufacture of food and drugs supplements. Overall data could be used as a viable tool in Roselle breeding for improvement in Roselle production and also to enhance proper taxonomic characterization and identification of the plant species which have immense economic potentials as ornamental plants.

Determination of intra and inter row spacing on the yield of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) in the dry land areas of Wag Himra, eastern Amhara, Ethiopia

Alemu Lakew — 2019-03-10

Recently in Ethiopia pearl millet has drawn a lot of attention as a replacement for maize and sorghum in the dry land areas because of its ability to reliably produce grains on a wide range of soils and harsh production environment. A field experiment was conducted during the 2014 cropping season on the Research sites of Abergele and Aybra, at Sekota dryland agricultural research Centre, eastern Amhara, Ethiopia, with the objective of to increase the productivity of pearl millet in the study areas of Wag-Himra Zone through optimizing its intra and inter-row spacing. The treatments considered in the study were consisting of four intra row spacing’s (5, 10, 15 and 20 cm) and four inter-row spacing (30, 50, 60 and 75 cm) and making a total of sixteen treatments. The Randomized Complete Block Design factorial arrangement with three replications a plot size of 5m × 3m was used. Based on the Combined analysis main effects of inter and intra row spacing by location showed significance difference (p<0.05) for the parameters of grain yield. The heights grain yield was recorded from 50cm and 5cm inter and intra row spacing respectively, whereas the lowest grain yield was recorded from 60 cm and 75 cm with 20 cm inter and intra row spacing respectively. It is possible to recommend that, sowing of pearl millet with inter row spacing of 50cm and 5cm intra row spacing is effective in attaining higher grain yield in the study area.

Identification of pathogenic Escherichia coli strain from river and sewage water in Bangladesh

Minhaz Uddin — 2019-03-10

The study was conducted to isolate and identify the presence of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains in water samples of the Old Brahmaputra River and Sewage water at Mymensingh Municipality. A total of 20 water samples were collected for this experiment. Samples were cultured on EMB agar, stained and PCR was done to detect the pathogenic E. coli. The Old Brahmaputra River is used as a sink of all types of municipal sewage, agricultural wastes, domestic wastes and religious ritual wastes through unplanned sewerage to the river water body. Low quality sanitation system and open defecation are also considerable problems to deteriorate river water quality. Due to accumulation of municipal untreated wastes to river body, it is possible to contain various pathogens. After investigation and identification, fourteen isolates of E. coli was found to contain stx-1 gene with none of stx-2 gene among twenty isolates which indicate pathogenic STEC. There may present major health risk to human and animal due to STEC. Several human diseases like mild diarrhea, bloody diarrhea or even severe hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) may occur for drinking of untreated river water. Domestic ruminants can act as a reservoir for STEC and play a significant role in the epidemiology of human infections.

Optimization of nitrogen requirement for better growth and yield of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Shaila Sharmin — 2019-03-10

A field experiment was conducted at the College of Agriculture Sciences, Agriculture Research Field of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), Uttara, Dhaka, to optimize nitrogen requirements for growth and yield response of brinjal (Solanum melongena). There were six treatments of urea viz., 0, 275, 300, 325, 350 and 375 kg ha^-1 and the experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The texture of the experimental soil was sandy loam and fertility status was very low. Parameters measured include: plant height, number of leaves plant^-1, leaf area, number of branches plant^-1, number of flower clustersplant^-1, number of flowersplant^-1, fruit diameter, fruits length, number of fruitsplant^-1, fruit weight and yield. Present study results revealed that application of the highest dose of urea showed positive significant influence on growth and reproductive characters of brinjal (S. melongena). Similarly, yield and yield contributing characters of brinjal (S. melongena) increased with the increasing rates of urea. The highest yield (18.0 ton ha^-1) was obtained from the application of 375 kg ha^-1 urea, while the lowest yield (10.1 ton ha^-1) was found from the control treatment. Thus, the overall study results suggested that 375 kg ha^-1 urea performed the best in context Agriculture Research Field soils of IUBAT, Uttara, Dhaka. The study concluded that before final recommendation of the application dose, further study is needed in different agro-ecological zones of Bangladesh.

Evaluation of bloom dynamics and seasonal abundance of cyanobacteria in eutrophic fish culture ponds at three different regions of Bangladesh

Md. Ayenuddin Haque — 2019-03-10

Seasonal cycle and bloom dynamics of cyanobacteria in relation to environmental parameters were studied in three areas- Godagari Upazila under Rajshahi district (GD ponds), Bogra city (BG ponds) and Singra upazila under Natore district (SG ponds) from September 2014 to August 2015. Standard methods were followed to analyze the water quality, sediment parameters and cyanobacterial cell density. Except temperature, mean values of all water quality parameters were found significantly different (P < 0.05) among the three study sites. 7 genera of cyanobacteria were identified whereas the highest density was recorded during September in all the studied ponds in order of BG ponds (130.36×10⁶ cells/l) > SG ponds (84.93×10⁶ cells/l) > GD ponds (58.74×10⁶ cells/l). Gradual decrease in cell density was observed from November to January, whereas the lowest density (12.25×10⁶ cells/l) was recorded at BG ponds in December, 2014. Higher values of soil organic matter, total nitrogen and pH were found to play significant role in determining higher cyanobacterial cell density at BG ponds compared to SG and GB ponds. The dominant species recorded in all the three studied regions was Microcystis sp.

Performance of tropical sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) as influenced by date of harvesting

Swapan Kumar Paul — 2019-03-10

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during November 2017 to April 2018 to study the effect of date of harvesting on the yield and quality of tropical sugar beet. The experiment comprised seven varieties viz. SV 889, SV 892, SV 893, SV 894, SZ 35, KWS Serenada and KWS Danicia and two dates of harvesting viz. 135 days after sowing (DAS) and 155 DAS. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Variety, date of harvesting and their interaction showed significant effect on crop characters, beet yield and juice quality of tropical sugar beet. The highest beet length (23.50 cm), individual beet weight (591.6 g) and beet yield (59.16 t ha^-1) were recorded in SV 894 while the highest brix (15.42%) was observed in SV 893. The lowest beet yield (40.25 t ha^-1) and brix (13.92%) were observed in KWS Danicia. In case of date of harvesting, the highest beet length (24.26 cm), beet girth (25.40 cm), individual beet weight (536.07 g) and beet yield (53.60 t ha^-1) were observed at 155 DAS harvest while the highest brix (14.66%) was recorded at 135 DAS harvest. In interaction, the highest beet length (25.67 cm), individual beet weight (681.2 g) and beet yield (68.12 t ha^-1) were recorded in SV 894 with 155 DAS harvest whereas the lowest beet yield (32.03 t ha^-1) was recorded in the interaction in KWS Danicia with 135 DAS harvest. From this study, it may be concluded that SV 894 appears as the promising variety that can be harvested at 155 DAS.

Influence of N and P fertilizer rates on yield and yield components of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in Sekota District of Wag-Himira Zone, North Eastern Ethiopia

Alemu Lakew — 2019-03-10

A field experiment was conducted to study the performance of bread wheat sown under different nitrogen and phosphorous fertilizer rates during 2017 main cropping season on farmer’s field at Weleh and Sayda, North eastern Ethiopia. Factorial combinations of four nitrogen (10.25, 20.5, 41 and 60.5 kg ha^-1) and four phosphorous (23, 46, 69, and 92 kg ha^-1) rates were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The result showed that using a different N and P rate of fertilizer had no significant effect (P≥0. 05) on the number of total and effective tillers in both locations. Similarly, at Sayda, different rate of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers did not show a significant effect on biomass yield, Straw yield, and grain yield. On the other hand, plant height was significantly affected by the interactions of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers. While days to 50% heading, days to 90% maturity, number of kernels per spike and thousand kernel weight were significantly affected by different rate of nitrogen fertilizer. Besides that, spike length and number of kernels per spike were significantly affected by phosphorus fertilizer application. Since the homogeneity of error variance was significant, it indicates that both locations were not combined together, rather it was done separately. According to the partial budget analysis, the combination of 20.5N and 23P kg ha^-1 was economically feasible at both locations. For future conducting of the researches in different seasons and location is important for sound recommendation.

A study on organic matter and nitrogen dynamics in wetland paddy soils of Bangladesh

Md. Ashraful Alam — 2019-03-10

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effects of different sources organic matter along with various level nitrogen fertilizations on nutrient dynamics and physicochemical variation of soil at different incubation periods in the research field of department of soil science, BSMRAU. RS, VC, RHB, CD and PM were used @ 2 t C ha^-1 along with N rates 0, 100 and 150 kg ha^-1 in a factorial randomized complete block design. Combined application of VC and RHB with N100 dose significantly reduces soil bulk density. PM-treated plot resulted the highest amount of TN at 90 DAT, while RHB treated plot at 45 DAT. N fertilized plot showed maxi-mum TN content at 75 DAT with N150 treatment. Significant interaction effects of OM and N on TN content of soil were exhibited at the incubation period 15, 30 and 45 DAT. Different organic amendment showed a dissimilar nutrient release pattern. Significantly higher phosphorus content was detected in VC treated soil while the S content was in the CD-treated soil. The RHB treated plots provide a significantly higher exchangeable K content in post-harvest soil. The available P, S and exchangeable K contents in post-harvest soil increased positively in all treatments as compared to initial soils. Organic manures and N fertilization had no significant effect on different chemical properties like soil pH, TN, available S and exchangeable K. Significant P enrichment was occurred in organic and N treated soil. Thus, organic and inorganic fertilization had a significant positive influence on the enrichment of physiochemical properties of wetland paddy soil.

Monitoring of ground water quality in the province of district Dehradun, (Uttarakhand), India

Yasir — 2016-12-10

The present study focused on the groundwater in Dehradun city to assess the quality of groundwater for determining its suitability for drinking and agricultural purposes. Groundwater samples were collected monthly from four sites of Dehradun city. Comparison of physic-chemical parameters with WHO (world health organization) and I.S (Indian Standards) revealed that, the status of groundwater is better for drinking purposes. Results indicate that physico-chemical parameters such as Temperature, EC, TDS, BOD, COD, Total Alkalinity, Total Hardness, Chloride, Sodium and Potassium were slightly increased at Site III and IV, while pH and DO were decreased. Correlation coefficient value indicates high positive and negative relationships (p<0.05 level) and also show significant positive and negative relationship between the GW quality parameters and different sites. The present study revealed water quality of all the four sites (I-IV) were better and safe and monitoring of ground water quality periodically, prevent further contamination.

Impact of tourism on water quality characteristics of Lidder Stream at Pahalgam, (J&K), India

Rizwan Mudathir Khandi — 2016-12-10

The present study was conducted to assess the impact of touristic activities at Lidder stream in Pahalgam, (J&K), India. The main reasons for the deterioration of the water quality of Lidder stream are increase in tourist flow, which increases the concentration of nutrients due to sewage disposal, bathing and washing in the vicinity of the stream. The physico-chemical analysis shows variations in most of the water quality parameters such as pH changes gradually, whereas EC, F.CO2, BOD, Cl- , NO3 -N, NH4 +N, OPP, TA and TP increased, while DO decreased. The water of Lidder stream serves domestic, agriculture, irrigation and other commercial sectors (including hotels at Pahalgam), which have a directly impact on the water quality of Lidder stream. It is contingent from the present study that pollution load due to tourism increased.

Quantitative evaluation of essential oils for the identification of chemical constituents by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

Ashish Uniyal — 2016-12-10

Essential oils are greatly strenuous aromatic materials having various constituents. They are used in the preparation of various precious substances like making perfumes, medicines, cleaning agent, and aromatic treatment etc. The purpose of the present investigation was to identify the major and minor chemical constituent in eighteen essential oils viz., amyris, basil, black pepper, camphor, catnip, chamomile, cinnamon, citronella, dill, frankincense, galbanum, jasmine, juniper, lavender, peppermint, rosemary, tagetes and thyme with the help of gas chromatography /mass spectrometry (GC/MS). In eighteen essential oils the identified compounds studied by GC-MS contain various types of high and low molecular weights of chemical ingredients. Therefore, GC/MS efficiently and speedily screened all the volatile elements present in the essential oils for the quantitative use of these identified chemical constituents for various reasons.

Comparative assessment of phytoremediation feasibility of water caltrop (Trapa natans L.) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes Solms.) using pulp and paper mill effluent

Vinod Kumar — 2016-12-10

Experiments for the comparative assessment of phytoremediation feasibility of water caltrop (Trapa natans L.) and water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes Solms.) using paper mill effluent were carried out for 60 days. The results revealed that the pulp and paper mill effluent was varied in characteristics and highly loaded with TDS, EC, BOD5, COD, TKN, PO4 3- , Na+ , K+ , Ca2+, Mg2+, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, SPC and MPN. It was observed that and both the plant species T. natansand E. crassipes significantly (P<0.05/P<0.01/P<0.001) reduced the contents of TDS, EC, BOD, COD, TKN, PO4 3- , Na+ , K+ , Ca2+, Mg2+, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, SPC and MPN of pulp and paper mill effluent after phytoremediation experiments. Albeit, the maximum removal of these parameters were obtained at 60 days of the phytoremediation experiments but the removal rate of these parameters were gradually increased from 15 days to 45 days and it was decreased at 60 days. The most contents of Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn was translocated in the leaves of T. natans and E. crassipes during the phytoremediation experiments whereas, the least contents of Cr, Ni and Pb was translocated in the leaves of T. natans and E. crassipes. Among both the macrophytic species (i.e. T. natans and E. crassipes) used for the phytoremediation, E. crassipes was found to be more effective for the removal of different parameters of pulp and paper mill effluent in comparison to T. natans. Therefore, T. natans and E. crassipes can be used effectively to reduce the pollution load of pulp and paper mill effluent.

Comparing efficacy of selected biopesticides and Lambdacot 500EC for controlling leaf rollers in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)

Oshomah Musa Samuel — 2016-12-10

Field experiments were conducted during the 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons at the University of Maiduguri to compared the efficacies of selected aqueous plant extracts on the management of the population of eggplant leaf roller (Eublemma olivacea Wlk.) infesting eggplant (Solanum melongena L.). The extracts were from neem leaf; bitter melon; black current; ginger rhizome and wild onion. They were compared with a conventional insecticide, Lambdacot 500EC and the absolute control. Extracts were applied at 5 % w/v while Lambdacot was applied at 1.5 g a.i/ha. The results indicated that the mean number of leaf rollers in treated plots were significantly (P< 0.05) lower than the control. The highest mean number of leaf rollers was 3.01 and 3.93. Lambdacot 500 EC had the lowest eggplant leaf roller counts per plant followed by neem, ginger rhizome and wild onion. The mean number of leaves damaged per plant followed similar trend. There was significantly (P< 0.05) higher number of eggplant fruits/plant, fruit weight and fruit yield in the decreasing order of Lambdacot 500 EC, neem, wild onion, bitter melon and black current. The absolute control had the fewest number of eggplant fruits/plant, fruit weight and fruit yield. These aqueous extracts should be adopted by eggplant farmers as they are cost effective and friendly to the environment. However, the actual quantities of these extracts to be applied per plant depending on the variety of eggplant, season and weather condition of the cropping season and canopy architecture remain to be critically explored.

Remote sensing assessment of Jabi Lake and its environs: A developmental perspective

Susan E. Ajonye — 2016-12-10

This paper is aimed at examining the relevance and impact of Jabi Lake in urban development and sustainable environmental change management. It uses a 2km radius buffer of remotely sensed satellite data from Landsat to examine the landuse/land cover dynamics within Jabi Lake and its environs in FCT-Abuja, Nigeria. Using maximum likelihood algorithm in ERDAS Imagine software, the supervised classification result shows that the lake water body decreased from 4.1 % in 1987 to 3.1% in 2006 and later increased to 4.0% in 2014. Built up experienced the highest landuse/land cover change from 3.17% in 1987 to 33.4% in 2006 and 37.5% in 2014. Light and dense vegetation reduced the most, while bare surface also showed an increase due to rapid urban development around the lake in the last 27 years. The focused group discussion (FGD) reveals that the conversion of previous agricultural land use and unplanned land uses to residential land use was due to high demand for residential housing around the lake. The perceived ambience scenery and accessible good road network were ranked as the first and second major positive centripetal forces of attraction to building near the lake while expensive land purchase and high rent were ranked first and second as the most negative centrifugal impacts of the lake on the environment. In conclusion, there is the need to monitor the progression of urban development so as to safeguard the lake for aquatic agriculture and it’s immediate environment from further deterioration.

Organic farming in Nepal: A viable option for food security and agricultural sustainability

Sovit Parajuli — 2020-06-25

Increasing use of agrochemicals, higher production cost and deterioration of ecosystem health have advocated the need to change the traditional and external input using agriculture towards safe and sustainable organic production. The article reviewed on general overview of organic agriculture in Nepal. The article aims to put light on the current scenario of the dawdling-paced organic agriculture and the options to revive the pesticide dominated conventional agriculture. Promotion of organic agriculture was first appeared as a priority in the10^th Five Year Plan of the Government of Nepal. Now it has been embedded in the national agricultural policy. Organic agriculture provides benefits in terms of environmental protection, conservation of nonrenewable resources, improved food quality, improve health status and the reorientation of agriculture towards areas of market demand. Various institutions, individuals and farmers are engaging in organic farming. Nepal is exporting organic products to international markets. The adoption of organic agriculture increases agricultural production and improves soil health and consumer health and seems a better option in countries like ours where fortunately integrated crop-livestock system is still prevalent. It is found to be viable option for better livelihood in the context of Nepal. Because the haphazard pesticide use has marred the conventional agriculture, all these contexts gesture this system to be scrutinize thoroughly and supplanted by organic farming system as a viable option towards food security and agricultural sustainability.

Boron in crop production from soil to plant system: A review

Anil Kumar Singh — 2020-06-25

The deficiency of boron is spreading rapidly in Indian soils. Boron deficiency in crops is more widespread than deficiency of any other essential micronutrient. However, imbalanced or excess use of boron fertilizers found to impose negative impact on crops due to very narrow range of boron deficiency and toxicity in soil and plants which increases production cost also. Therefore, optimized boron fertilizer supply in boron deficient soils is important in order to attain normal crop growth, yield and high-quality produce. It this review the role of boron in crop production, its deficiency in crop plants has been discussed.

A review on persisting threats to snail’s diversity and its conservation approaches

Varun Dhiman — 2020-06-25

Snails are important part of our terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. They are molluscian members having their effective role in biomonitoring, nutrient cycling and medicinal development. They are integral part of food chain system and have direct or indirect impact in maintaining ecological functioning. Besides their importance, they are documented with largest extinction rate as compared to other existed taxa. This is due to the fact that, unexploration and poor attention has been given in the research and development by the scientific world. Till now, a little information is available related to systematics, life history, population biology, threats and conservation status of these slimy organisms. This paper briefly reviews the diversity of terrestrial, freshwater and marine snails with the existed threats with their conservation approaches which may proved to be fruitful in developing awareness related to the snails in the society.

A review on Bangabandhu and agriculture: Future path for self-sufficiency in food production of Bangladesh

Sushan Chowhan — 2020-06-25

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is one of the rabble rousing, undisputable and charismatic leaders in the global history. Due to his inherent and extra ordinary qualities he gained the trust, support and hope of the general peoples (East-Bengalis). This paper aims to review the key roles played by him for uplifting the agricultural sector of Bangladesh. Bangladesh wouldn’t become independent and a sovereign country without his bold contribution. After the bloody liberation war of 1971; the country had a poor and fragile economy and shortage of all sorts of basic needs specially food. After the formation of government, the leader took revolutionary steps for reformation of the agricultural sector of the country. From his intuition he felt that, for agricultural development and gaining self-sufficiency in food production; some major changes have to be done. Thus, he put special emphasis on agricultural education, research, extension, industries and markets; he also waived the taxes on agricultural lands. To encourage innovative and talented students to study agriculture; he upgraded the status of the agriculturists to first class officer. Bangabandhu’s vision was clear, challenging and reality based. He decorated the agricultural policies basing on the farmers and their economic conditions. The leader put special importance in practicing integrated agriculture so that we may get all types of food (cereal, pulse, oil, vegetable, fruits, fish, and livestock). Due to his dynamic efforts and future guidelines at that time (1972-1975); today Bangladesh has not only achieved food security but also became a role model for agricultural development globally. Through his ideology and principles Bangladesh is moving rapidly forward to become a developed country by 2041.

Correlation and path coefficient analysis among yield and yield attributing traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes

Koshraj Upadhyay — 2020-06-25

To assess correlation and to find out the direct and indirect effect of yield attributing traits on grain yield, thirty wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes were experimented at Kamalamai-04, Phant, of Sindhuli district, Nepal. The experiment was laid out in alpha-lattice design with three replications. Thirteen quantitative traits including grain yield of wheat were studied during this study. The grain yield of wheat has significant (P≤0.01) and positive genotypic and phenotypic correlation with number of spikes per meter (0.6**, 0.47**), grains per spike (0.69**, 0.65**), weight of grains per spike (0.69**, 0.61**), thousand kernel weight (0.87**, 0.74**), maturity days (0.5*, 0.47**), above ground mass yield (0.96**, 0.83**) and harvest index (0.93**, 0.64**) of wheat. The genotypic correlation is higher in magnitude than the phenotypic correlation for almost all the studied traits. Path analysis of genotypic correlation showed a high positive direct effect of plant height (0.75), above ground biomass (0.6), spike length (0.43), and harvest index (0.29) on grain yield of wheat. Hence, for increasing yield of wheat in the breeding program, selection and hybridization can be made more effective and accurate by using those traits that have a significant positive correlation coefficient and direct effect on the grain yield of wheat.

Yield performance of oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) on different substrate

Samita Paudel — 2020-06-25

Substrate type is an important factor determining growth and yield of oyster mushroom. Five different substrates namely rice straw, maize husks, banana leaves, fingermillet husk and mixture of rice straw and black gram pod shell (1:1) were evaluated for the yield and related attributes of Pleurotus ostreatus. Standard cultivation practice was followed with steam sterilization and spawning was done on 575 g of substrate in individual poly-bag. The data of three flushes were recorded. Our results revealed that full spawn run completed earlier (18.57 days) in fingermillet husk as compared to any other tested substrates. The highest total quantity yield was obtained in fingermillet husk (1024.57g/bag) and rice straw (956.14g/bag) with corresponding biological efficiency 178.19% and 166.29%, respectively which were significantly higher than all other treatments (Mandeel et al., 2005). The cropping duration was significantly higher in maize husks and banana leaves as compared to rest of three treatments viz., fingermillet husk, rice straw and mixture of rice straw and black gram pod shell (1:1). These three treatments were not statistically different for cropping duration with each other. Considering the biological efficiency and earliness of crop the performance of fingermillet husk, followed by rice straw was found to be better.

Bacteriological assessment of some borehole water samples in Mile 50, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria

Eziafakaego M. Ibo — 2020-06-25

Water as excellent natural resource is meant to be of high quality to reduce the outbreak of water-borne diseases. Bacteriological load of some borehole water samples in Mile 50 Abakaliki were carried out to determine their potability. Fifteen borehole water samples were sampled during rainy and dry season from June to July and November to December 2018 respectively. The total bacterial count was determined by tenfold serial dilution method using peptone water. Eight bacterial species namely Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeroginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexineri, Proteus vulgaris and Klebsiella pneumoniaewere isolated using standard analytical procedures. The bacterium that had the highest frequency of occurrence during both rainy and dry season’s was K. pneumoniae with percentage frequency of 21.81% and 20.79% respectively, and P. vulgaris had the least value of 6.96% during rainy season. E. coli and S. aureus have the least value of 5.94% during dry season. Amoxicillin (30ug) was mostly resisted by the bacterial isolates why being was more susceptible to Ciprofloxacin (10ug) among the antibiotics used for susceptibility test. Two way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the level of significance among the bacteriological analyses of both seasons. Therefore, there is need to create awareness about the present situation of the borehole waters and the necessity for further treatment of water by consumers, before it can be used for both drinking and domestic purposes to prevent disease outbreak in the area.

Evaluation of seedling growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes under water stress and non-stress conditions

Shreejana K. C. — 2020-06-25

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a species of crops which is highly sensitive to drought. The sensitivity to water stress varies from genotypes to genotypes of rice. An experiment was performed to compare twenty-five different rice genotypes for drought tolerance in the seedling stage at Gokuleshwor Agriculture and Animal Science College, Baitadi Nepal from July to August 2018. The genotypes were tested under two conditions viz., water stress and non-water stress. The research work was carried out in a completely random design (CRD) with three replications. The results exhibited the height of seedling, length & breadth of leaf, number of leaves/plant decreased, and number of leaves shedding increased under water stress condition. Clustering was done by the method of average linkage, and genotypes were categorized into five clusters. The genotype, namely Radha 11 grouped in Cluster-V had higher plant height, bigger length & breadth of leaf, maximum number of leaves/plant and minimum number of leaf shedding. Thus, this genotype showed the best performance for morphological traits under water stress condition. Therefore, this genotype Radha 11 can be utilized further for developing rice variety with drought-tolerance.

Life cycle and eco-friendly management of Chinese fruit fly (Bactrocera minax) in sweet orange (Citrus sinesis Osbeck) in Nepal

Prakriti Sharma — 2020-06-25

Sweet orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) is a highly profitable fruit crop of Nepal. However, for the past five years, farmers experienced poor productivity partly attributed to the severe infestation of exotic Chinese fruit fly (Bactorcera minax), particularly in Sindhuli and Ramechhap district of Nepal. In this context, we attempted to review on identification, life cycle, and eco-friendly management of Chinese fruit fly. The review is documented based on a field visit and relevant works of literature from Journal articles, books, pamphlets, etc. The Chinese fruit fly has tremendous ability to take a long-range flight, thus, migrated from China to Bhutan and crossing the Indo-Nepal eastern border, finally reached to eastern mid-hills of Nepal. Moderate temperature and low humidity of mid-hills of Nepal are favorable for the exponential growth of the pest. Being sweet orange most preferable commodity, the host range of the fly includes almost all the citrus fruits. The fly has damaged 20-50% of the fruit every year and resulted in a loss of millions of rupees. Therefore various pest management practices can be deployed for sustainable eco-friendly management of the pest. The Chinese fruit fly can be successfully managed by hydrolase protein baits, regular pruning, augmentation of bio-control agents, and using soft systemic insecticides. Various other options for the management of Chinese fruit fly are also discussed with their biological efficacy for the sustainable and eco-friendly management of pests.

Survey on gender role in rice production by farmers of Nuwakot district, Nepal

Sandesh Thapa — 2020-06-25

Gender plays an important role in agriculture from managing work at the farm field to communicate with buyers. There is a significant division of labor among rice farmers in Nepal; thus, the study was conducted to identify the role of males and females in a farm field and also in decision making and other relevant activities. A random sampling survey was conducted where the respondents aged between 35-55 were highest and 85% of the respondents were males. The area was found to be dominated by the Brahmins. Female workers were found to be involved in highly unskilled work like transplanting, uprooting, weeding, and male workers were found to be involved in decision making, marketing, land preparation, pesticide application. Harvesting was done by females and then threshing by males. Equal involvement of males and females laborers was observed in the irrigation of rice crops. Women's less access to decision making was found to be due to lack of land ownership and lower level of education than those of males. Thus, the need for women empowerment is necessary for the area and also exposure of female labors to different skill-oriented training should be encouraged. The focus of NGOs/ INGOs should be headed to uplift the women's role in farming in Nepal.

Assessment of hospitals medical waste management in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province in Iran

Mahdi Sadeghi — 2020-06-25

The hospital wastes could threaten the surface waters, ground waters, soil, air environment and humans’ health. This study was intended to investigate the management of medical waste generated in hospitals of Charharmahal and Bakhtiari province, located in south west of Iran. The samples came from all 9 province’s hospitals with 1156 beds. The data forms and questionnaires were completed. The questionnaire contained questions about the generation of waste and practices related to separation, collection, storage, transport, treatment and final disposal, and training and awareness. The highest generation rate on a bed basis of 3.22±0.4 kg/bed/day was found in Shohada hospital, and the lowest rate was 1.37±0.2 kg/bed/day for Sina hospital. There was significant variation (P<0.05). The average general waste production rate was 2.12±0.37 kg/bed/day at all the surveyed hospitals. The highest percentage (63%) of total medical wastes were general, 36.05% were infectious wastes. About 44.44% of the hospitals have used autoclave to disinfect their infectious medical waste prior to disposal, while incineration is used in 33.33% of the hospitals. All hospitals (100%) indicated their needs and willingness to participate in future specialized training programs in medical waste management. It has been suggested that enhancing the education, awareness and promoting programs about medical waste management for cleaning workers, doctors, nurses, and technicians.

Effects of crude oil treatment on the morphology and performance of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart) Solms) in Niger-Delta region of Nigeria

Jonathan Chikurdi Iwubeh — 2020-06-25

Many aquatic plants existing in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria are at the risk of extinction due to oil spill. The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of different concentrations of crude oil on the morphology and growth performance of the hydrophyte, Eichhornia crassipes present in coastal waters of Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, where crude oil exploitation as well as oil spill is high. The plant, E. crassipes was subjected to varying concentrations of crude oil treatments (1.25%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%). Each treatment was replicated three times. The performance was measured using various growth parameters which include height, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight. The results showed that the control plant performed better than the treated plants with respect to all the morphological characters considered. The control plant of E. crassipes produced a height of 7.56±0.028 from an initial height of 6.02±0.028. Among the treated plants, 1.25% and 2.5% promoted height, leaf area, number of leaves, fresh and dry weight up to the 6^th week of growth while 7.5% and 10% decreased plant height up to the 4^th week. The E. crassipes treated with 7.5% and 10% crude oil concentrations died 6 weeks following the treatments. The ability of E. crassipes to tolerate the different levels of crude oil was authenticated in this study. However, the study showed that there is a limit of sustenance of petroleum hydrocarbons pollution for E. crassipes above which toxicity will apply.

Salinity induced deleterious effects on germination, growth, physiological and biochemical process of two varieties of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.)

Sharmin Akter — 2020-06-25

The present study was accomplished to find out the effects of salinity on germination, growth, physiological and biochemical processes of two different groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.), varieties viz., Dacca-1, and Zhinga groundnut. The experiments consisted of five salinity treatments viz., control (no salinity), 3, 6, 9, and 12dS/m during germination and vegetative stage of groundnut varieties. Results showed that germination percentage of both the groundnut varieties was significantly decreased with the increase of salt concentration. During the germination stage, maximum shoot and root length, shoot and root fresh weight and shoot and root dry weight of groundnut varieties were recorded from Zhinga groundnut variety at salt stress. The same result occurred during the vegetative stage of Dacca-1 variety while the Zhinga groundnut variety showed maximum parameters than Dacca-1. Fresh weight, as well as dry weight, of shoots and roots of both the groundnut varieties was also decreased with the increase of salt concentrations while leaf proline concentrations were increased among these varieties. Salinity caused significant (P<0.001) reduction in chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total chlorophyll content in both the genotypes. Between two genotypes, Zhinga groundnut recorded higher chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content than Dacca-1. From the studies, it is concluded that the groundnut genotype Zhinga was identified as the tolerant genotype to salt stress than Dacca-1. Overall results indicate that high salinity condition is not suitable for growing the groundnut.

Growth and yield of boro rice (Oryza sativa L.) in response to crop establishment methods and varieties

Afrina Rahman — 2020-06-25

Physiological attributes and yield performance of high yielding varieties (HYV) of rice cultivars need to be assessed by crop establishment methods before promoting a suitable crop establishment method in Bangladesh. We, therefore, conducted an experiment to study the effects of crop establishment methods on the growth and yield of boro rice. The experiment comprised of two factors; factor A: methods of crop establishment viz., dry direct seeding, unpuddle transplanting, alternate wetting and drying (AWD) and puddle transplanting; factor B: rice cultivars viz., BRRI dhan28, BRRI dhan58, BRRI dhan74 and BRRI hybrid dhan3. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications where method of crop establishment was assigned to the main plot and rice cultivar was assigned to the sub plots. Data were collected at different growth stages and at harvest. From the results, it was found that growth, yield and yield contributing characters were significantly influenced by crop establishment methods. The highest leaf area index (LAI), total dry matter and grain yield were found in puddle transplanting method. The highest grain yield was obtained in puddle transplanting method due to accumulation of maximum dry matter and production of highest number of effective tillers hill^-1 and grains panicle^-1. Among the varieties the highest grain yield was obtain in BRRI hybrid dhan3 due to highest number of grains panicle^-1 and 1000-grain weight. The highest grain yield (6.21 t ha^-1) was found in puddle transplanting with BRRI dhan28, while the lowest grain yield (2.80 t ha^-1) was produced in dry direct seeding with BRRI dhan28. Therefore, puddle transplanting with BRRI dhan28 might be recommended due to best physiological performance and obtaining highest grain yield of boro rice.

Effect of age of seedlings at staggered planting and nutrient management on the growth performance of aromatic fine rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. BRRI dhan38)

Anup Roy — 2020-06-25

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during June to December 2014 with a view to finding out the effect of age of seedlings at staggered planting and nutrient management on growth of aromatic fine rice (cv. BRRI dhan38). The experiment comprised three ages of seedlings viz., 30, 45 and 60-day old and six treatment of nutrient managements viz. control (no manures and fertilizers), recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers, 50% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + cowdung @ 5 t ha^-1, 75% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + cowdung @ 5 t ha^-¹, 50% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 and 75% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The effect of age of seedlings and nutrient management and their interaction were significant on crop growth characters of aromatic fine rice. The result revealed that the highest plant height, total tiller hill^-1, total dry matter production hill^-1 and CGR were found when 30-day old seedlings were transplanted. Among the nutrient managements the highest growth parameters was obtain in 75% of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizers + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1due to the continuous supply of nutrients by the combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer which led to better growth in plants. In 30-day old seedlings with 75% inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 treatment performed best in case of all growth parameters, while the lowest one was observed in 60-day old seedlings with control. Therefore, 30-day old seedlings with 75% inorganic fertilizer + poultry manure @ 2.5 t ha^-1 treatment might be a promising practice in aromatic fine rice cultivation in terms of growth performance.

Present status and future prospects to safeguard Nepali citrus industry against Chinese citrus fly (Bactrocera minax Enderlein)

Milan Chauhan — 2020-06-25

Unlike other Tephrid flies, the Chinese citrus fly (Bactrocera minax Enderlein) is univoltine and oligophagous species strictly restricted to citrus fruits. It has been a serious threat to the citrus industry in China, Bhutan, India and Nepal causing up to 100% of fruit drop before the harvest. Citrus groves, especially tight-skinned cultivars, sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) in mid-hill districts like Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Dolakha, Kavre, Syangja, Gulmi, etc. have been threatened while in some pockets, lemon, acid lime, and mandarin have vanished due to the Chinese citrus fly (CCF). The driver behind the spread of this invasive pest seems to be poor research works on the phenology of the pest, ill-equipped management practices, flying nature of adult fly and easy movement of infested fruits. Therefore, with reviewing published data, this study aimed to figure out the most appropriate management technology for curbing the CCF and make comprehensive material for safeguarding the citrus industry in the future. Since Area-Wide Integrated Pest Management (AW-IPM) or Area-Wide Control Program (AWCP) was found to be an effective tool to control the CCF, individual practices are crucial to incorporate. Monitoring the pest with the lure of protein hydrolase (PH) and subsequently killing adults with attractive protein baits of 25% hydrolyzed protein + insecticide as lethal dinner is mentioned exceptionally better. In AWCP domestic practice: orchard sanitation is not so effective if the orchards are sloppy while shallow tillage adds less to the natural enemy mechanism of CCF pupae in the soil. Equally, we conclude that Sterile Insect Technology (SIT) is not so economical and the boons of natural enemies, parasitoid and
entomo-pathogens against CCF, is yet to be exploited.

Determination of suitable species combination for good aquaculture practice based carp fattening in ponds under drought prone barind area of Bangladesh

Md. Akhtar Hossain — 2020-06-25

Increased temperature, decreased water level and reduced culture period of the ponds with lack of guidelines in selecting appropriate stocking size, density and combination of species are major constraints for safe production of fattening based carps in drought prone barind area of Bangladesh. In order to address these problems, an experiment was conducted during July-December, 2018 to determine the suitable species combination for fattening ponds of overwintered carps in Tanore upazila (sub district) of Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. Three different combinations of surface (G. catla and H. molitrix), column (L. rohita) and bottom (C. cirrhosus and C. carpio var. specularis) feeding carp species were tested under 3 treatments (T₁, T₂ and T₃), each with 3 replications: T1 (Surface-30%, column-40%, and bottom-30%), T2 (Surface-40%, column-30%, and bottom-30%) and T3 (Surface-35%, column-35%, and bottom-30%). Application of good aquaculture practices in the studied ponds was found to improve the environmental conditions of pond. Significantly (P< 0.05) highest fish yield was obtained from treatment T₂ which was 21.47% and 11.89% higher than T₁ and T₃, respectively. Significantly (P<0.05) highest cost benefit ratio was recorded with treatment T₂(0.42±0.02) followed by T₃ (0.31±0.01) and T₁ (0.21±0.01), respectively. Inclusion of appropriate number of fishes at different water layers of pond favoured the yield and economics of carp fattening. The study also suggests focusing on optimal stocking density together with the formulation of low cost feed for carp fattening in ponds under barind area of Bangladesh.

Biological control of eucalyptus Gall wasp, Leptocybe invasa Fisher & La Salle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Punjab, India

Mohd. Yousuf — 2020-06-25

In this investigation, biological control of eucalyptus Gall wasp, Leptocybe invasa Fisher & La Salle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Punjab, India was investigated. The genus Leptocybe Fisher & La Salle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was founded with its type species, L. invasa from Israel in 2004. Adult wasps of L. invasa induce galls on the shoots and midribs of leaves of Eucalyptus sp. and also damage nursery seedlings and young plantations. In the present study, survey was carried out from the year 2012 to 2014, on gall wasp infestation in different eucalyptus growing areas of Punjab. Observations revealed that eucalyptus growing areas in Punjab were under the threat of attack by gall wasp, L. invasa. During the present study, biological control agents Megastimus viggianii and Quadrastichus mendeli have been successfully applied in the gall infested areas of Punjab, from 2012 to 2017, where infestation of gall wasp was regularly decreased and came below 10 % by July, 2017. Consequently, Eucalyptus gall forming insect L. invasa has been controlled successfully by applying the biological control through releasing the parasitoids (Megastimus viggianii and Quadrastichus mendeli), in Punjab, India.

Evaluation of yield performance and establishment methods of drought tolerant rice genotypes under rainfed condition in drought prone areas of Bangladesh

M.M. Islam — 2020-06-25

Two field experiments were carried out at farmer’s field of Rajshahi and Chapainawabgonj under the Department of Agronomy, BINA during aman season of 2017 and 2018 consecutively to evaluate the drought tolerant rice varieties under different establishment methods in rain fed condition. First experiment (E1) was conducted to find out the performance of varieties and second experiment (E2) was to find out the suitability of method of transplanting/sowing in combination with short duration aman varieties. Different methods were as direct seeding, puddled and un-puddled transplanting and cultivars were used to cultivate BRRI dhan56, Binadhan-7, Binadhan-17 (except in second experiment) and Huttra (local cultivar). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The recommended fertilizer doses applied for the experiment were 80 kg N ha^-1, 15 kg P ha^-1, 50 kg K ha^-1, 20 kg S ha^-1 and 2 kg Zn ha^-1. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and zinc were supplied from urea, TSP, MoP, gypsum and zinc sulphate monohydrate respectively while urea was applied in three equal splits. Among the cultivar Binadhan-17 produced statistically higher grain yield (5.62 t ha^-1) at Chapainawabgonj. Among methods Binadhan-7 statistically higher grain yield 5.32 t ha^-1 and 5.21 t ha^-1, respectively) in puddle transplanting method both Chapainawabgonj and Rajshahi region during 2017. Among the cultivar Huttra (local) produced statistically higher grain yield (5.43 t ha^-1) at Chapainawabgonj. Among methods, BRRI dhan56 statistically higher grain yield 6.37 t ha^-1 and 6.19 t ha^-1, respectively) in puddle transplanting method bothat Rajshahi and Chapainawabgonj during 2018. Overall results indicates that BRRI dhan56, Binadhan-7, Binadhan-17 performed better in puddled transplanting, Huttra (local) in direct seeding method in drought prone region of Bangladesh.

Foliar-applied Amcoton® and potassium thiosulfate enhances the growth and productivity of three faba beans varieties by improving photosynthetic efficiency

Salah M. Emam — 2020-06-25

Amcoton^® [a mixture of 0.45% naphthalene acetic acid and 1.25% naphthalene acetamide] and potassium thiosulfate (KTS) play a crucial role in growth and productivity enhancement of faba beans plants. The current study aimed to evaluate the potential impact of Amcoton^® and KTS foliar application on growth, yield, and photosynthetic efficiency in three faba beans varieties (i.e. Giza-843, Nubaria-3, and Sakha-4) during 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons. Results exhibited that Amcoton^® and/or KTS significantly increased growth indices (e.g., plant height, number of leaves and branches, leaves area, shoot dry weight), yield component, and chlorophylls contents and photosynthetic efficiency in comparison with untreated control plants. Giza-843 showed significantly higher growth and productivity when compared to Nubaria-3 and Sakha-4. Seed yield significantly positive correlated with leaves area, chlorophyll content, plant height, number of branches, pods and seeds per plant, pod dry weight and biological yield. Results obtained through this study highlighted the potential impact of Amcoton^® and/or KTS on enhancing the growth and productivity of faba beans plants by improving leaf chlorophylls contents and photosynthetic efficiency.

Evaluation of physicochemical, bacteriological and parasitological quality of selected well water samples in Awka and its environment, Anambra State, Nigeria

Odera R. Umeh — 2020-06-25

Water quality is made up of physical, chemical and biological factors which influence the use of water for domestic purposes. Industrial and municipal solid and liquid wastes are being continuously leached into water reservoirs, thereby affecting its potability for domestic use. In this study, the physicochemical, bacteriological and parasitological evaluation of selected well water samples in Awka and its environment were evaluated during wet season. Standard methods for physicochemical, bacteriological and parasitological analyses were employed. Physicochemical analysis was done using standard analytical methods; bacteriological analysis was determined by dilution and membrane filtration techniques. Parasitological analysis was done using the centrifugation method. The result showed that 86.67% of the pH values were acidic, 6.67% of nitrate, 33.33% of phosphate, 20% of cadmium, 73.33% of lead, 26.67% of arsenic, 20% of iron, 100% of bacteria and parasites exceeded the WHO maximum containment level goal for domestic water while other parameters were within WHO standards for domestic water. The most polluted of all the well water samples is Aka well water while the least polluted is Emeka and Aqua well waters. S. typhi had the highest frequency of isolation (25.45%) while Bacillus subtilis had the least (1.56%). Diplostomum parasite had the highest frequency of isolation (42.86%) while Ichthyobodo and Chilodonella had the least (28.57% respectively). Since some of the physicochemical, bacteriological and parasitological parameters had values above World Health Organization admissible limits; governments, health and environmental experts must rectify (through water treatments and better sanitary practices) and enlighten the residents to prevent epidemics.

Comparative analysis of potency of Azole derivatives to target ASL and GPI proteins responsible for pathogenesis of Candida albicans using in silico approach

Preeti Raperia — 2019-06-10

Candida albicans, a dimorphic fungus which is commensal organism of human gut flora, but due to overgrowth or immune-compromised conditions become pathogenic causing vulvovaginal candidiasis infection which is most common in females. The present study was conducted to determine an effective treatment strategy by making a comparative analysis of potency of azole derivatives such as itraconazole, fluconazole and ketoconazole to target ASL and GPI proteins responsible for pathogenesis of C. albicans using in silico approach. By comparing Gibbs free energy, it becomes clear that itraconazole possess more potency in comparison to fluconazole and ketoconazole to target ALS and GPI macromolecule. The present study clearly indicated that itraconazole can overcome complications of pathogenesis induced by C. albicans inside the host thereby acting as a major drug of interest in comparison to other azole derivatives to treat vulvovaginal candidiasis. In conclusion, itraconazole exhibits better potential than fluconazole and ketoconazole to target GPI and ALS. This clearly reveals the potency of itracaonazole to target C. albicans, but more research is needed to be carried out to determine the mechanistic approach involved in exhibiting this effect.

Long-term fertilization effect on yield and land productivity of rice-wheat cropping system of Bangladesh

Fahamida Akter — 2019-06-10

A factorial study was carried out at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University to determine the effect of long term fertilization on yield performance of T. aman rice and wheat. The experimental plot received different organic manures for the last 26 years (1988-2014). The organic manure cowdung, compost, green manure and rice straw were applied at the rate of 25, 25, 7.5 and 1.5 t ha^-1, respectively in a yearly sequence. Three levels of nitrogen viz., 0, 75 and 100 kg ha^-1for rice and 0, 80 and 120 kg ha^-1 for wheat were applied. Application of nitrogen fertilizer along with organic manure significantly increased yield of rice and wheat .The highest rice grain yield was found in 2014 under the N₇₅ and no manure treatment, which was 6.48 t ha^-1 whereas grain yield of wheat was found maximum in 2008 from the interaction of N₁₂₀ and rice straw application where yield was recorded 5.25 t ha^-1. In rice-wheat cropping sequence, the plots that received no nitrogen, LPI value was less than 2 (0.80) in the observed years. When the plots were treated with nitrogen fertilizer showed LPI values > 2 in 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013, which indicates the trend of higher productivity of land due to long term fertilization. The maximum sustainable yield index was found in rice (0.69)> wheat (0.40) with 100 kg ha^-1 and 120 kg ha^-1 N treatment respectively. So, Long term fertilization strategy can be effective way to improve the yield, land productivity and sustainable yield index of rice and wheat through rescheduling the rates of organic and inorganic fertilizers that ensure balanced supply of plant nutrients.

Effect of different phosphorus levels on four cowpea (Vigna unguiculata Walp L.) varieties for grain and fodder yield in Upper East Region of Ghana

Boakye Boateng Augustine — 2019-06-10

A field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of cowpea varieties and different phosphorus levels on grain and fodder yield. Four cowpea varieties i.e. Asetenapa, Asomdwe, Hewale and Videza with four different phosphorus levels of single superphosphate (SSP) were used in the experiment. The experimental design was 4 × 4 factorial experiment laid in randomized complete block with four replicates. The results showed that cowpea varieties and phosphorus levels significantly influenced number of nodules per plant, pod length, number of pods per plant, fodder yield and grain yield. Phosphorus levels had no significant effect on stem girth, plant height and 100 seed weight. Asomdwe recorded the highest grain yield of 1229kgha^-1 while Videza and Asetenapa produced the highest fodder yield of 957kgha^-1. Interactive effect between Videza and 30kgha^-1 of SSP produced the highest fodder yield while Asomdwe and 60kgha^-1 of SSP was the treatment combination that produced the highest grain yield. Cowpea varieties and different phosphorus levels had effect on grain and fodder yield. Asomdwe would be recommended for commercial grain production because of the high grain yielding potential as observed in the study Asetenapa and Videza for fodder production to feed livestock.

Performance of locally discovered rice cultivar (Haridhan) in Bangladesh under urea sprays technology

Ekramul Haque — 2019-06-10

The research work was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from July to November 2015 to evaluate the yield performance of BRRI dhan56 and a locally discovered rice cultivar Haridhan under foliar and traditional application of urea. The experiment included six treatments of urea application technique as T₁=N₀ (control), T₂=N_65%,T₃=N_50%+US (15%), T₄=N_50%+US (20%), T₅=N_60%+US (15%), T₆=N_100% (traditional method) and two rice varieties viz. HYV rice cultivar BRRI dhan56 and locally discovered rice cultivar Haridhan. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Foliar application of urea had significant effect on yield and yield components of BRRI dhan56 and Haridhan. It has been found that the treatment N_50%+US (20%) produced highest grain yield (6.14 t ha^-1) which might be due to the highest number of total tillers hill^-1 (15.03), effective tillers hill^-1(12.11), panicle length (26.21 cm) and grains panicle^-1 (156.91) got from this treatment. From the result it can be concluded that both the varieties produced highest grain yield with 50% of the required urea applied to the soil and 20% of the required urea applied as foliar spray that can save an amount of 30% of recommended dose of urea in rice field of Bangladesh

Morphometric relationships between length-weight and length-length and condition factor of four small indigenous fishes from the Payra River, southern Bangladesh

Newton Saha — 2019-06-10

The present study describes the length–weight (LWR) relationship, length– length (LLR) relationship, and condition factor (K) of four small indigenous fish species from the Payra River, southern Bangladesh, namely Mastacembelus pancalus, Lepidocephalus guntea, Salmostoma bacaila and Mystus vittatus. A total of 867 specimens, representing 4 species of 4 families used for this study were caught by traditional fishing gear from July to October 2018. Standard length (SL) and total length (TL) for each specimen were measured by digital slide calipers and each body weight (BW) was taken by a digital balance. The allometric coefficient b of the LWR was close to the isometric value (b=3.078 and 3.028) in M. pancalus and L. guntea respectively, although it suggested negative allometric growth in M. vittatus (b < 3.00), whilst positive allometric growth in S. bacaila (b > 3.00). All the LWRs were highly significant (P < 0.05) and most of the coefficients of determination values were ≥ 0.857. The results further indicated that the LLRs were highly correlated (r² ≥ 0.939; P < 0.05). Fulton’s condition factor (K) by month basis ranged from 0.52 (in M. pancalus) through 1.89 (in M. vittatus). The results of this study can be very effective for stock assessment of this four species in Payra River as well as in the surrounding ecosystems.

Assessment of soil and water quality as affected by herbicide application in the rice field of Bangladesh

Md. Rashedur Rahman — 2019-06-10

Weed is a vital constraint for crop especially rice cultivation. Among several techniques herbicidal weed control is thought to be efficient and cost effective method. But herbicide may change soil or water quality in rice field. Taking this into consideration a study was conducted to assess soil and water quality in herbicide applied rice field. The study was conducted in two phases. In first phase a list of herbicide was made according to the uses by the local farmers of Mymensingh district. It was found that among the herbicides wide used two herbicides were i. Laser (Pyrazosulphuron ethyl-10 WP) and ii. Changer (Acetachlor-14% + Bensulfuron methyl-4%). In the second phase, an experiment was conducted at Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh considering these two herbicides. It was found that the application of herbicide in the rice field did not change the nutrient content in the soil or water of rice field. But herbicide significantly reduced the microbial activity and increased the chlorine content (In case of herbicide 2 i.e. Acetachlor-14% + Bensulfuron methyl-4%) in both soil and water of rice field. Therefore, it can be concluded that though the nutrient content of the soil of rice field is not significantly affected by herbicide application but the presence of high amount of Cl content in the rice field may cause burning injury of rice leaf at the early stages of its growth which could affect the yield of rice.

First report on Apanteles ruidus, Wilkinson reared on Hyblaea puera (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae) teak defoliator from India

Mohd. Yousuf — 2019-06-10

The present investigation is based on the first report on Apanteles ruidus, Wilkinson (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), reported for the first time on teak defoliator Hyblaea puera (Lepidoptera: Hyblaeidae) a serious pest of teak Tectona grandis (Lamiaceae) from Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India. The investigation was carried out in the adjoining agro-forestry areas of Uttarakhand. The extensive collection of defoliator larvae from various forest trees species for laboratory rearing and emergence of Apanteles spp. The wasps were bred from parasitized larvae of H. puera in laboratory which were collected from teak forest, Thano range, Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Presently studied species, A. ruidus may also be used as biological control agent against teak defoliator H. puera after determining its biological control potential, followed by developing their mass multiplication techniques. Thus, Apanteles species are vital larval parasitoids of several lepidopterous insect pests of economic importance to agricultural crops, commercial cash crops and forest tree species. Therefore, there are fare chances of its application against the insect pests of forest tree species without adverse effect on biodiversity.

Effectiveness of fulvic acid to the growth of Swietenia macrophylla King. with addition phosphate at post mining land in Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2019-06-10

Mining activities would cause a decrease in carrying capacity and land function due to erosion, changes in soil structure, loss of vegetation, pollution, nutrient depletion and increasing Al³⁺ levels so that soil pH conditions will be low. This study aims to increase the Swietenia macrophylla King growth response at the gold mining land that can be used as a tool for consideration in revegetation activities. The design used in this experiment was a complete randomized design (CRD) factorial with 2 factors. The first factor was the application of fulvic acid (F₀ = control, F₁ = concentration of 2% (2 ml of fulvic acid plus 98 ml of water), F₂ = 3% (3 ml of fulvic acid plus 97 ml of water), F₃ = 5 % (5 ml of fulvic acid plus 95 ml of water) and the second factor was the application of phosphate fertilizer (P₀ = 0 g / polybag, P₁ = 10 g / polybag, P₂ = 15 g / polybag and P₃ = 20 g / polybag) were used for preparation of different treatments. The treatment of fulvic acid significantly affected the growth of S. macrophylla for parameters of diameter, total dry weight, and root dry weight of S. macrophylla. The single effect of phosphate fertilizer treatment had a significant effect on high growth, diametert, total wet weight, and total dry weight of S. macrophylla. The interaction of fulvic acid and phosphate fertilizer significantly affected the diameter, total dry weight and root dry weight of S. macrophylla. F₂P₃ treatment (3% fulvic acid and 20 g phosphate fertilizer is the best combination treatment. Therefore, application of fulvic acid and phosphate fertilizer on post mining soil improves soil fertility and decreases Al elements which are toxic to plants.

Role of women in pond fish farming and fish consumption situation in a selected area of Bangladesh

Mohammad Ataur Rahman — 2019-06-10

In Bangladesh, aquaculture makes an important contribution to rural livelihoods for food security, nutrition security and cash income. Small-scale fisheries typically depend on men and women’s roles. The Bangladesh fisheries sector is seen as a male domain and the contribution of women is poorly recognized. This study is concerned with the contribution of rural women in different activities of pond fish farming, profitability of pond fish culture, fish consumption level of the sample households and problems and constraints in pond fish farming. For achieving these objectives, 60 women pond fish farmers were selected randomly from Muktagacha upazila of Mymensingh district in Bangladesh. Primary data were collected personally from respondents through a sample survey with the help of a structured and pre-tested interview schedule. Both tabular and econometric techniques were used to analyze the collected data. The major findings indicated that a total working hour in a season (six months) was 418 of an average 12 decimal pond sizes. Men contribute 62.68% (262 hours) and women contribute 37.32% (156 hours) of the total working hours in a season. The per hector/season production, gross return, gross margin and net return were Kg.18188, Tk. 1655108, Tk.740736 and Tk. 654202, respectively. Undiscounted benefit-cost ratio was found 1.65 in the study area. Average per capita fish consumption was 69.01 gm/day, which was higher than the nation average of 44.65 gm/person/day. The main problems faced by the respondents were high feed cost, disease, high labour demand, high cost of a pond excavation, etc. This research concludes that women play a significant role in pond fish farming and achieving household nutrition security. The government and policy makers should acknowledge the women’s contribution in different farming activities and make appropriate policy for women entrepreneurship development in Bangladesh which will lead to achieve sustainable development goals.

Agronomic manipulation for adaptation of black rice cultivars in plain land environment to eliminate hidden hunger

Md. Rashedur Rahman — 2019-06-10

Two field experiemtns were conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from July 2016 to December 2016 to study the effect of cultivars, date of transplanting and fertilizer dose on the yield and quality of few hilly black rice cultivars. The experiment one consisted of two factors. Factor A: Varieties, viz., i) Galong se and ii) Gelong ni and Factor B: Planting date, viz., i) July 20, ii) August 5, iii) August 20, iv) September 5, v) September 20 and vi) October 5. The experiment two also consisted with two factors. Factor A: varieties, viz., i) Kongnam ene ii) Gelong se and iii) Nazirshail rice and Factor B: Fertilizer management viz., i) No fertilizer ii) 50% of recommended dose (RD) of fertilizers of a local aman rice variety, iii) 75% of RD of fertilizers of a local aman rice variety, iv) 100% of RD of fertilizers of a local aman rice variety, v) 125% of RD of fertilizers of a local aman rice variety and vi) 150% of RD of fertilizers of a local aman rice variety. Results revealed that among varieties, the black rice cultivar Gelong se was best grain yielding potential variety than three other rice varieties, of which two are black rice cultivars (Kongnam ene and Gelong ne) and another one is plain land white rice cultivar (Nizershail). Regarding time of transplanting it has been found that all the varieties gave higher yield when they were transplanted either on July 20 or August 05. The worst transplanting time was October 5 when lowest grain yield was obtained. From the nutritional view point, it has been found that all the three black rice cultivars got higher crude protein (%), crude fibre (%), ash (%), crude fat (%), Fe (ppm) and Zn (ppm) content over white rice cultivar. Therefore, it can be concluded that black rice could be incorporated in human diet and it would be a way of eliminating hidden hunger.

Performance of Agribusiness Microfinance Institutions (MFIA) by using approach of Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) in district of Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Riris Nadia Syafrilia Gurning — 2019-06-10

This investigation was aimed to analyze the performance of MFIA Rural Agribusiness Development Program in District of Gunungkidul. Program of Agribusiness Rural Enterprise Development aimed as stimulus that could developed into an MFIA for sustainable financing for farmers. The Agribusiness Microfinance Institution (MFIA) is the only financial institution established specifically to provide agricultural capital facilities in the countryside. This research was conducted at 65 of MFIA in District of Gunungkidul based on MFIA that had conducted the Annual Members Meetings (AMM) on January-March, 2018. Primary data collection was conducted through direct interviews using questionnaires with the manager of MFIA. Secondary data was obtained from the report of AMM 2017. The method used in this study was CIPP model (Context, Input, Process, Product). Based on the four performance indicators in CIPP models, the results shown that the performance of MFIA in District of Gunungkidul in 2017 was included in the good criteria.

Effect of genotype on proximate composition and biological yield of maize (Zea mays L.)

Sayed Hasanul Kabir — 2019-06-10

An experiment was conducted to study the proximate composition of five released maize varieties (Zea mays L.) of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), which was popularly growing in Bangladesh namely BHM-5, BHM-8, BHM-13, BHM-15, and Barnali. There was none a single variety performed best in all nutrient parameters. Among these maize varieties, the highest grain weight of 100 seeds, and yield was found in BHM-15 (32.84g and 12.6 ton/ha). In the case of proximate analysis, the highest protein, ash, and fat content was recorded from BHM-15 (13.11%, 2.33%, and 5.44%), the highest carbohydrate content was recorded from BHM-13 (82.40%), and the highest amount of fiber was recorded from BHM-5 (2.07%). On the other hand, the lowest amount of carbohydrate and protein was recorded from BHM-15 (77.67%) and BHM-8 (10.96%), respectively. BHM-13 contained the lowest amount of fiber (1.24%) and fat (4.27%). Barnali and BHM-15 showed better performance for most of the minerals. The findings concluded that the different genotypes of maize differ substantially in their chemical and mineral compositions.

Impacts of rainfall and temperature variation on maize (Zea mays L.) yields: A case study of Mbeya Region, Tanzania

Peter Batho — 2019-06-10

Based on the multiple regression model the impacts of rainfall and temperature on maize (Zea mays L.) yields in Mbeya region have been analyzed. Overall, findings revealed that the seven selected variables, that is, January maximum temperature, February maximum temperature, April maximum temperature, Rainfall from February to April, Rainfall during growing season, December rainfall and October maximum temperature influenced maize yields in the region by 65.4%. Diversely, the results showed 34.6% wasn’t explained by the model, meaning that there are other factors apart from temperature and rainfall could be used to explain the variation of maize (Z. mays) yield in the region. Furthermore, taking 1990 -2012 as baseline period, the model projection for a period of 2020-2042 shows that maize (Z. mays) yield may change from 1.5% to 2.3%, 2.6% to 3.6% and 2.4% to 3.5 %, as a result of separate future influence of 10% decrease in rainfall, 1⁰C raise in temperature and combined influence of both temperature and rainfall change, respectively. Nevertheless, the findings from this study, reveals that Mbeya region may still be potential maize (Z. mays) growing region in the prescribed period provided the magnitude change of both future rainfall and temperature hold and other factors not explained by the model do not change significantly. Therefore, the government must focus to conduct more research on uses of appropriate maize (Z. mays) varieties to obtain the maximum maize (Z. mays) crop yield in the region.

Nitrogen uptake and economics of black rice (Oryza sativa L. indica) under different crop geometries and nitrogen management practices

Suraj Singh Karkee — 2019-06-10

Black rice has more antioxidants than any other rice variety. It is considered to have multiple benefits in human health due to the presence of different antioxidants. A field experiment was conducted during rainy season of 2015-2016 to assess the nitrogen uptake, use efficiency and economics of black rice production under different crop geometry and nitrogen (N) management practices in Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal. The experiment was laid out in strip plot design with three replications. The experiment consisted of treatment combination of three crop geometry (20 cm × 20 cm, 20 cm × 15 cm and 15 cm × 15 cm) in vertical plots and three nitrogen management practices (N level: 30 kg N ha^-1, 60 kg N ha^-1, and LCC based N-management) in horizontal plots. The results showed that the highest N uptake was recorded from closer spacing (15 cm × 15 cm) with LCC based N management. The net return and B: C ratios were higher at a closer spacing of 15 cm × 15 cm with LCC based N management and closer spacing of 15 cm × 15 cm with N application of 60 kg ha^-1. The overall analysis revealed that LCC based N management under closer crop geometry (15 cm × 15 cm) was the best management practices because of high nitrogen uptake and highest monetary return with B: C ratio of 5.76.

Species Selection Index (SSI): A novel tool designed for bio-resource selection under Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) mechanism

Salman Khan — 2019-06-10

This investigation was designed for the use of species selection index (SSI) for bio-resource selection under access and benefit sharing mechanism. The bio-resources are being utilized by different industries for manufacturing various end products. Uttarakhand is known for its bio-resources having highly medicinal properties. But, these bio-resources are on the verge of extinction because of over-exploitation. These bio-resources are not being utilized in a sustainable manner. Access and Benefit-sharing is the mechanism by which a species would benefit both producer and traders apart from the conservation. Selection of the concerned species from the area to be considered for ABS mechanism is a tedious work. In this paper, an attempt has been made to solve this issue. The objective was to formulate a methodology for the selection of native species for ABS. A novel method (Species Selection Index) has been formulated for this purpose. Study was conducted at organization, industry and village level. Different species from Uttarkashi, Pauri and Haridwar of Uttarakhand has been analysed by this method and compared with each other. Positive and Negative criteria were considered for the selection and based on the result Terminalia chebula and Zanthoxylem armatum was suggested for ABS. Therefore, The SSI can be used in the selection of any bio-resources to be considered for ABS mechanism or for any other developmental project. More SSI value means more suitable species to be considered for project related activity.

Disabled user’s preference investigation of Konya Karatay City Park according to the universal design criteria (UDC)

Esma Ari — 2019-06-10

The importance of concepts such as universal design, accessibility, and unimpeded life is increasing as the number of disabled people within the society increases over the years and as the effects of being disabled become more prominent. As these concepts have become widespread throughout the world, architects and designers have also focused on projects that facilitate the life of individuals with disabilities in their designs, and they have created designs from the inside of life by incorporating the rapid development of technology into the process. The universal design aims to eliminate the obstacles faced by individuals with basic disabilities and to ensure the use of designs together with non-disabled individuals. The universal design criteria revealed in this direction are the main factors that make up the study subject. Within the scope of the study, determination of the suitability of Konya Karatay City Park for the access by disabled users and the concept of unimpeded life (Universal Design) was aimed. Social areas, transportation systems, and recreation areas, which provide services to users within the park, were examined onsite according to their functions by quantifying them in the context of the universal design criteria. As a result of the study, it was determined that the park did not meet the universal design criteria (UDC) in terms of transportation and circulation; also, the uses of social and recreation areas were observed not to comply with the universal design criteria. According to the disabled user’s preferences, solutions related to these subjects were proposed.

Assessment of heavy metals concentration in water and Tengra fish (Mystus vittatus) of Surma River in Sylhet region of Bangladesh

Ariful Islam — 2019-06-10

The study was carried out to assess the concentration of heavy metals in water and Tengra fish (Mystus vittatus) of the Surma River, the largest water basin ecosystem covering the north-eastern parts of Bangladesh. Water and Tengra fish (M. vittatus) samples were collected from a total of six sampling stations in which three sampling stations were in Sylhet district and the rest three were in Sunamganj district. Samples were collected from February 2017 to June 2017 on a monthly basis. Water and Tengra fish (M. vittatus) samples were analyzed for the detection of heavy metals viz., lead (Pb), chromium (Cr) and cadmium (Cd) concentrations. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used for the detection of heavy metals after digestion of the samples. Pb and Cr were detected from both water and Tengra fish (M. vittatus) samples collected from all the six sampling stations of Sylhet and Sunamganj district. But, Cd was not found both in water and Tengra fish (M. vittatus) during the study period. This study concluded that the detected concentrations of metals (Pb and Cr) in the studied Tengra fish (M. vittatus) muscles were accepted by the international legislation limits and are safe for human consumption. But in water, Pb is the only metal that potentially poses the ecological risk to the water body as it exceeds the acceptance level recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). Consequently, close monitoring of metals pollution of the Surma River is recommended with a view to minimizing the health risk of the population that depend on the river for their water and fish supply.

Adoption of disaster risk reduction strategy in agriculture sector at Southkhali Union of Sharankhola Upazila, Bangladesh

Prome Debnath — 2019-06-10

Climate change is contemporary global threat especially for coastal area of Bangladesh which drastically affects in agricultural sector. The purpose of the study was to determine the extent of adopting disaster risk reduction strategies by farmer towards agriculture sector in Southkhali union of Sharankhola upazila. Data were collected following a structured pretested interview schedule, FGD and KII and then verified with secondary sources of information. Coefficients of Correlation and regression analysis were used to find out the contribution of factors to the variation of adopting disaster risk reduction strategy by farmers in agriculture sector. The study found that the salinity was the major climate change effect in agriculture sector of this area that resulted soil salinity in agriculture and the most common adopted strategies are rain water harvesting (90%), tree plantation (89.16%) and homestead gardening (80.83%) in agriculture. Correlation analysis indicated that age (0.383^**), farming experience (0.441^**), communication exposure (0.271^*) and organizational support (0.226^*) had positive significant relationship and climate change effect (-0.266^**) had negative significant relationship with adoption of disaster risk reduction strategy of farmers in agriculture. Regression analysis revealed that farming experience (β=0.546) has the strongest contribution and climate change effect (β=-0.139) had negative contribution to the adoption of disaster risk reduction strategies in agriculture. Based on this observation it can be concluded that the awareness and skill of farmer should be more developed through arranging different training program and providing necessary support to promote environmentally safe cultivation and to enhance climate change adaptation in agriculture sector.

Influence of weeding regime on the performance of aromatic Boro rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Swapan Kumar Paul — 2019-06-10

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, from December 2013 to May 2014 to investigate the influence of weeding regime on the performance of aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50). The experiment comprised nine treatments viz., un-weeded, one hand weeding at 20 DAT + pre-emergence herbicide after hand weeding, two hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAT, pre-emergence herbicide followed by one hand weeding at 20 DAT, pre-emergence herbicide followed by one hand weeding at 40 DAT, post-emergence herbicide + one hand weeding at 40 DAT, pre-emergence herbicide + post-emergence herbicide, pre-emergence herbicide + post-emergence herbicide + one hand weeding at 40 DAT and weed free throughout the growth period. Panida (pendimethalin) @ 2.5 L ha^-1 as pre-emergence herbicide and granite (penoxsulam) @ 93.70 ml ha^-1 as post-emergence were used for weed control. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Thirteen weed species belonging to seven families were observed in the experimental field. The highest weed density and dry weight were observed in no weeding condition compared to other treatments. The tallest plant, the highest number of total tillers hill^-1, number of effective tillers hill^-1, total spikelets panicle^-1, grains panicle^-1, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield, biological yield and harvest index were obtained from weed free treatment. The highest grain yield (5.92 t ha^-1) was obtained from weed free throughout the growth period. Grain yield was reduced by 56.42% due to weed infestation in unweeded condition. The highest benefit-cost ratio (2.28) was obtained from application of pre-emergence herbicide followed by post-emergence herbicide + one hand weeding at 40 DAT. Therefore, weeding treatment pre-emergence herbicide followed by post-emergence herbicide + one hand weeding at 40 DAT may consider for cultivation of aromatic Boro rice (cv. BRRI dhan50).

A review on water and nitrogen use efficiency of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in relation to its yield and yield components

Egata Shunka Tolessa — 2019-06-10

Best potato growing condition available in Ethiopia compared to African countries. Poor resource and crop management was found one of the major production and productivity limiting factors. This review was conducted to show the gap available in optimum nitrogen rate utilization, limitation of irrigation water utilization, nitrogen and water use efficiency consideration in agronomic work of the country. In Ethiopia the production of potato was showing increasing due to land used for production increased but the productivity showed slight increase. Optimizing resource use efficiency by better management of water and nutrients through temporal and spatial irrigation and fertilization strategies in crop production is now getting concern in the world to enhance the profit of farm and minimize the cost of production. It is useful to consider some efficiency indices, in order to optimize the scheduling of water and nitrogen application. Determining nitrogen rates and irrigation water amount that improve the use of both water and nitrogen, and increasing knowledge of efficient use of resource could minimize the possible N losses thereby minimizing cost and increasing production profit. In the process of optimization, crop type to be grown and variety have also a remarkable contribution. On the last the nitrogen rate, irrigation regime and use efficiency of nitrogen and water were interrelated to each other and should be considered to gather with the yield and yield component of the potato for sustainable production with sufficient benefit.

Genetic variability and cluster analysis of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes in foot hill of Nepal

Koshraj Upadhyay — 2019-09-10

To study the variability in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes and to identify the superior genotypes for yield and yield attributing traits, a field experiment was conducted during November 2017 to April 2018 at Kamalamai-04, Phant, of Sindhuli district, Nepal. Thirty wheat genotypes were experimented in Alpha lattice design with 3 replications. Observations for Days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, spike length, peduncle length, flag leaf area, no. of spikes/m², no of grains/spike, weight of kernel/spike, thousand kernel weight, grain yield and biological yield were recorded and analysis was done at 0.05 probability level. High broad sense heritability associated with high genetic advance over mean was observed for the traits, grain yield (90%, 57.52%), peduncle length (93%, 52.58%), plant height (88%, 34%), number of grains/spike (83%, 39.76%), thousand kernel weight (80%, 36.75%), kernel weight/spike (77%, 51.76%) and number of spikes/m² (77%, 39.16%) which indicated the predominance of additive genes action in controlling the expression of these traits. UPGMA dendrogram grouped thirty genotypes into distinct five clusters. Genotypes of cluster II can be utilized for development of superior cultivar through breeding program. Among all genotypes NL 1336 was highest grain yielder with thousand kernel weight, number of grains/spike and kernel weight/spike higher than local check WK 1204. Therefore, genotypes NL 1336, BL 4837, WK 2884 and BL 4833 can be utilized in breeding program as parents for improvement of wheat lines and development of high yielding wheat variety.

A review on clubroot of crucifers: symptoms, life-cycle of pathogen, factors affecting severity, and management strategies

Sachin Gahatraj — 2019-09-10

Clubroot is a devastating disease of crucifers throughout the world. It is caused by a soil-borne obligate phytoparasite, Plasmodiophora brassicae Wor. Plant affected by this disease shows flagging of leaves, unthrifty growth, and even premature death. When uprooted, root shows characteristic symptom of hypertrophied club-shaped root system. Several biotic and abiotic factors affect the disease severity. Biotic factors include spore load in soil and virulence of pathogen, whereas abiotic factors generally include soil environmental factors such as soil temperature, soil pH, soil moisture, and soil type. Pathogen survives, for substantial period of time in absence of host, through its double-walled resting spores in soil or crop debris. Temperature affects spore germination, occurrence, and pathogen proliferation. Acidic soil reaction is crucial for pathogen to proliferate, metabolize, secret enzymes, and to complete life-cycle. All type of soil textures favor disease; however, severity differs with type of soil and soil organic matter content. Soil moisture provides platform to move bi-flagellated zoospores to infect root hairs of crops. Root hair infection is commensurate with inoculum density or spore load in soil. Immediate management strategies entail cultural practices, use of biocontrol agents, and application of chemical as last resort. Trichoderma spp., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis, and Gliocladium catenulatum are potential biocontrol agents. Flusalfamide, Fluazinam, and Cyazofamid are some common chemicals used to control clubroot. Soil carried by farm implements, human body, irrigation water, and flood can be potential source of pathogen. The risk of clubroot can be reduced by ensuring phyto-sanitory measures, destroying host crop debris, regular scouting, growing resistant cultivars, avoiding acidic soil reaction, eliminating weedy hosts, and reducing soil movement.

A review on feasibility of phytoremediation technology for heavy metals removal

Vinod Kumar — 2019-09-10

Quick jump of urbanization and industrialization is responsible for birth of heavy metal pollution. In the aquatic systems, heavy metals are one of the most dangerous pollutants that may be found. It can have both natural and anthropogenic origins. In aquatic ecosystem heavy metal pollution have a serious hazard to biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems, and drinking polluted water contaminated with heavy metals can have severe health risks in humans as well as in all living-beings. The commercial characteristics and side effects of conservative treatment equipment in aquatic environment flagged the way to eco-sustainable technology like phytoremediation. In phytoremediation, Plants are used to clean up the environment from numerous dangerous contaminants. Phytoremediation is cost-effective and ecofriendly expertise for environmentally friendly cleanup. The present review reflects the characteristics of heavy metals and possible environmental threats together with this, review also inspects the role played by the macrophytes in phytoremediation studies in the recent past. In the reduction of heavy metal contamination in aquatic environments which receive the industrial discharges and municipal wastewater, aquatic macrophytes are powerful tools to remediate them.

Chemical quality attributes of mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) as affected by altitude and fruit bearing position in Kavre, Nepal

Kiran Timilsina — 2019-09-10

Mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) occupies a prominent position in the total fruit sector of Nepal. A study was conducted to assess chemical quality parameters of mandarin in Kavre district of Nepal, during February 2018. Three altitudes (1410, 1540 and 1670 m.asl) and four bearing positions of fruits (East, West, North, and South) in each tree were taken, from southern facing slope of local mandarin orchard under normal farmer managed practices. Fruits from each sector were scored for TSS, pH, TA and ascorbic acid content. The result showed that the TSS (14.6^oBrix), pH (3.37), and TA (0.06%) were recorded higher in the mandarin harvested at an altitude of 1410 m.asl. TSS/TA (23.81) and ascorbic acid content (35.96 mg/100g) were recorded highest in mandarin fruit harvested from 1670 m.asl altitude. Similarly, TSS/TA (21.13) was recorded higher in mandarin on eastern canopy of tree. TA (0.91%) and ascorbic acid content (37.54 mg/100g) were recorded higher in mandarin fruit harvested from western canopy. TSS (15.0^oBrix) and pH (3.41) were highest in mandarin of southern canopy. The combined effect of altitude and fruit bearing position had significant effect on pH (P = 0.008), TA (P=0.012), TSS/TA (P = 0.014) and ascorbic acid content (P<0.001). Mandarins at southern bearing position located at 1540 m.asl and lower altitude were comparatively of good quality than of the upper altitude. Since the main chemical attributes for maintaining quality of mandarin, mandarin located at an altitude of 1540 m.asl followed by mandarin located at 1410 m.asl were promising than mandarin of higher altitude.

Analysis of environmental damage and environmental economic valuation on tropical rain forest destruction in Simalungun Regency, North Sumatera Province, Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2019-09-10

Tropical rain forests in Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia have experienced environmental damage due to illegal logging. Illegal logging activities can effect to environmental damage as well as environmental economic losses. This study aimed to analyze soil and environmental damage as well as to assess economic loss of environmental damage due to illegal logging activities in tropical rain forests in Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra Province Indonesia. The method of taking samples and analyzing environmental damage were conducted by purposive sampling. Data from laboratory tests of soil physical, chemical and biological properties were analyzed by statistical tests. The economic valuation method of environmental damage used the Permen LH No. 13 year of 2011, Republic of Indonesian. Illegal logging activities caused environmental damage in tropical rain forests (covering 45.65 ha). Illegal logging had a significant effects toward the bulk density increase, as well as the C-organic decrease. In other hand Illegal logging had a significant effects on sand fraction, total microorganisms, and soil respiration. Based on the environmental economic valuation, the economic loss due to illegal logging on tropical rain forests amounting to IDR 319,799,679,000 ($ 22,842,834.21).

Effects of plant spacing and nitrogen level on the green fodder yield of maize (Zea mays L.)

Newton Chandra Paul — 2019-09-10

An experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during December 2016 to February 2017 to investigate the effect of plant spacing and nitrogen level on growth parameters and green fodder yield of maize (Zea mays L.). The experiment comprised three plant spacings viz., 35 cm × 10 cm, 35 cm × 20 cm, 35 cm × 30 cm and three nitrogen levels viz., 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha^-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results revealed that plant spacing, nitrogen levels and their interaction had significant effect on growth parameters and green fodder yield. The tallest plant (192.5 cm) was obtained at plant spacing 35 cm × 30 cm, while the highest fodder yield (61.13 t ha ^-1) of Z. mays was recorded at 35 cm × 10 cm spacing. In case of nitrogen level, the tallest plant (204.9 cm), the highest number of leaves plant^-1 (12.22), the highest chlorophyll content in leaves (41.50) and the highest fodder yield (70.38 t ha ^-1) of Z. mays were recorded in 200 kg N ha^-1. In case of interaction, the tallest plant (218.4 cm) of Z. mays was produced at spacing 35 cm × 30 cm along with 200 kg N ha^-1. The highest fodder yield (78.01 t ha ^-1) of Z. mays was obtained at spacing 35 cm × 10 cm fertilized with 200 kg N ha^-1 which was at par with spacing 35 cm × 20 cm fertilized with 200 kg N ha^-1 and the lowest fodder yield (31.91 t ha ^-1) was obtained at spacing 35 cm × 30 cm along with 100 kg N ha^-1. Therefore, spacing 35 cm × 10 cm fertilized with 200 kg N ha^-1 appears as the promising practice for maize cultivation as fodder crop.

Position of farmers in agriculture 4.0: Finding from farmers partner of aggregator online vegetables commodity in Indonesia

Janita Meliala — 2019-09-10

The idea of the agricultural revolution 4.0 emerged as the impact of the industrial revolution 4.0. Agriculture 4.0 is characterized by precision agriculture, artificial intelligence, plant factories, and digital marketing. In Indonesia since 2015, online Aggregators have begun to appear in agriculture, which are intermediary actors using internet-based applications or websites that act as liaison for farmers with markets, suppliers and funders. This online aggregator also acts as a mobilizer for partner farmers towards agriculture 4.0. But problems appear when farmers are not ready to face increasingly rapid technological advances. The purpose of this study was to explore the farmer’s position towards agriculture 4.0, especially partner of aggregator online vegetable commodities. This study used survey methods to collect information from farmers used questionnaire. Sampling method used the quota sampling to select 36 farmers from 12 aggregators online vegetables commodity. Analysis of the position of farmers using the questionnaire based on indicators on the 6 elements of management are man, material, method, machine, money, market in agricultural positions 1.0 to position 4.0. The results of the questionnaire are then processed based on the arithmetic mean. The results showed the position of aggregate partner farmers in general were able to pass the phase of the agricultural revolution 3.0 towards agriculture 4.0. The findings of this study show elements come near to the agricultural 4.0 position are market and material element with an average value 3,83 and 3,56. While the lowest element position with an average position value of 2.94 is machine.

Response of maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids to different levels of nitrogen

Reena Sharma — 2019-09-10

Nitrogen is one of the key factors for higher grain production of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.). The use of improved varieties and optimal use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is important for exploiting yield potential of maize. This work was carried out to evaluate the effects of N rates on grain yield and yield attributing traits of hybrid maize. Two hybrids (RML-86/RML-96 and RML-95/RML-96) and five levels of nitrogen (120, 150, 180, 210 and 240 kg N/ha) were evaluated at research field of National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal in spring season of 2017 and 2018. The experiments were conducted in two factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications under rainfed condition. The pooled analysis (2017 and 2018) showed that the highest grain yield 10.5 and 10.5 t/ha were given by hybrids RML86/RML96 and RML95/RML96, respectively with the use of 150 kg N/ha in 2017. The hybrids RML-86/RML-96 and RML-95/RML-96 produced the highest grain yield 7.49 and 7.68 t/ha, respectively with the use of 150 kg N/ha in 2018. The mean grain yield (2017 and 2018) showed that both maize hybrids produced the highest grain yield 10.5 t/ha in 2017 and 7.58 t/ha year in 2018 with the application of 150 kg N/ha. The application of nitrogen fertilizer on grain yield was found significant (P<0.05) in both years. Therefore, the application of 150 kg N/ha has significantly increased grain yield of maize, Therefore, this dose of nitrogen can be recommended for higher maize production in Chitwan, Nepal in spring season under rainfed condition.

Participatory assessment of lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) production practices in marginal dry lands of Wag-lasta, Ethiopia

Ademe Mihiretu — 2019-09-10

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an important legume for human nutrition, animal feeding and soil fertility enhancement in Wag-lasta areas of Ethiopia. Despite its importance, concerned actors in the extension system have inconsistencies on the efficient production practices. The participatory assessment of different lentil production practices was thus carried out involving twenty-three farmers in the marginal dry lands of Wag-lasta area. The experiment was designed to evaluate and demonstrate the performance of different lentil production practices to farmers and extension personnel to settle the paradox in the extension system. It was directed through comparing the improved variety with its full production package (IPP) against the local variety with full package (LPP) and local variety under farmers’ practice (LFP). Agronomic, economic and preference data were collected and analysed in descriptive statistic, ANOVA, partial budgeting and weighted ranking matrix. The combined result indicated that LPP, LFP and IPP provided mean grain yields of 806, 584 and 486 kg ha^-1, respectively. Accordingly, LPP has 27.5 and 39.7% yield advantage over LFP and IPP, respectively. The marginal rate of return of LPP is 334.9 and 411% in Sekota and Lalibela districts in that order. The overall weighted ranking matrix also shows that LFP and LPP were farmers’ first and second choices in Sekota but vice versa in Lalibela district. Farmers and experts in the extension system thus perceived and approved the prominence of local cultivar under full package practice. Therefore, large-scale dissemination of the local cultivar with its full package components is safely recommended.

Effects of micronutrients on bulb growth, yield and quality of local and high yielding onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars in Bangladesh

Md. Harun Ar Rashid — 2019-09-10

Micronutrients have important functions on onion production. An experiment was conducted at the Landscape section and Laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from October, 2017 to March, 2018 to investigate the effects of micronutrients on bulb growth, yield and quality of local and high yielding (HY) onion cultivars in Bangladesh. The experiment comprised three onion cultivars viz., Taherpuri (local), BARI Piaz 1 (HY) and BARI Piaz 4 (HY), and five micronutrients viz., Control (no micronutrient), Boron (B) @ 0.2 g/plot, Zinc (Zn) @ 0.5 g/plot, Copper (Cu) @ 0.2 g/plot and B+Zn+Cu @ (0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot). The two-factor experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Results revealed that onion cultivars and micronutrients had significant influence on the parameters studied. BARI Piaz 4 along with the application of B+Zn+Cu @ 0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot produced the highest bulb size, increased plant height, number of leaves, fresh weight of bulb, per cent dry matter content of bulbs and bulb yield compared to other onion cultivars and micronutrient treatments. The highest bulb yield (16.07 t/ha) was recorded in B+Zn+Cu_,while the lowest bulb yield (8.92 t/ha) was found from control. Highest gross yield of onion (20.67 t/ha) was recorded from BARI Piaz 4 with B+Zn+Cu @ 0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot. Therefore, it can be concluded that combined treatment of BARI Piaz 4 and B+Zn+Cu @ @ 0.2+0.5+0.2 g/plot was found to be better in respect of bulb growth and yield, and Taherpuri for quality of onion.

Effects of integrated weed management practices on the performance of boro rice cultivars

Sadia Tasmin — 2019-09-10

An experiment was conducted during the period from November 2016 through May 2017 to evaluate the effect of integrated weed management practices on weed suppression and on the performance of boro rice cultivars. The experiment consisted of two cultivars viz., BRRI dhan28 and BRRI dhan29 along with eight different weed management practices. Cultivar did not exert any significant effect on weed density and dry weight. Integrated weed management practices exerted significant effect on weed density and dry weight. The highest weed dry weight was observed in no weeding treatment and lowest one was recorded in application of pre-emergence herbicide followed by one hand weeding at 35 DAT. BRRI dhan28 × no weeding treatment produced the highest weed dry weight and BRRI dhan28 × application of pre-emergence herbicide followed by one HW produced the lowest weed dry weight at different DATs. BRRI dhan28 produced higher grain and straw yields than BRRI dhan29. The highest grain yield was obtained from application of pre-emergence herbicide followed by one hand weeding at 35 DAT. BRRI dhan28 × application of pre-emergence herbicide followed by one HW at 35 DAT produced the highest grain yield and the lowest grain yield was resulted from BRRI dhan28 × no weeding treatment. From the study it may be concluded that BRRI dhan28 × application of pre-emergence herbicide followed by one HW at 35 DAT may be recommended for controlling weeds effectively and for getting the highest grain yield in boro rice.

Effects of organic and inorganic fertilizer combination with insect netting on the production of Indian spinach (Basella alba L.)

M. Mishu Akther — 2019-09-10

Best horticulture management has been practiced to reduce the quantity of inorganic fertilizer applications with insect net for higher production of Indian spinach (Basella alba L.). The experiment was conducted at the Horticulture Farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU), Mymensingh during February to May, 2016. Two factors experiment were conducted on insect nettings (Factor A): control (N₀), Netting (N₁) and different fertilizers (Factor B): control (F₀), Vermicompost 10 t/ha (F₁), Vermicompost 15 t/ha (F₂), 2/3^rdof F₂+ 1/3^rdof F₄ (F₃), Inorganic fertilizer (F₄). Combination of insect net and combined of organic and inorganic fertilizers (N₁F₃) gave the significantly higher growth and yield of Indian spinach (B. alba) compared to other treatment combination. The maximum vine length (77.71 cm), after 45 days after sowing was found in N₁F₃and it was 72% higher vine length of Indian spinach compared to control. The highest yield of Indian spinach was 38.67 t/ha in N₁F₃ which was_,80% higher yield compared to control (7.77 t/ha). The treatment combination of N₁F₃ provided maximum leaf numbers per plant and leaf length of Indian spinach. Organic and inorganic fertilizer application together where reduced amount of inorganic fertilizer technology for crop production can be practiced as a sustainable technology for better growth, yield and quality of a plant, also to improve the soil health and environment in long run.

Effects of different application methods of chitosan on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

M.A. Parvin — 2019-09-10

A pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of different application methods of chitosan on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with four replications and twelve treatments combinations viz., T₀= Control, T₁= Soil application of chitosan (SAC) @80 ppm, T₂= SAC @120 ppm, T₃= Foliar spraying of chitosan (FSC) @60 ppm, T₄= FSC @80 ppm, T₅= FSC @100 ppm, T₆= Combination of T₁and T₃, T₇= Combination of T₁and T₄, T₈= Combination of T₁ and T₅, T₉= Combination of T₂and T₃, T₁₀= Combination of T₂and T₄, and T₁₁= Combination of T₂and T₅. The study results revealed that there were significant variations among the treatments on number of leaves, numbers of flower cluster, flowering duration, fruit length and yield of tomato (L. esculentum). The highest yield of tomato (L. esculentum) was obtained from the treatment T₆, while the lowest was obtained from control treatment. Vitamin-C and lycopene content of tomato (L. esculentum) fruits varied from 2.19-4.09 and 2.38-3.58 mg 100g^-1 sample, respectively. Among the major minerals, the highest amounts of Ca, Mg, Na, K, S and P were obtained from T₇(0.69%), T₃ (0.58%), T₈ (0.38%), T₁ (0.62%), T₄ (0.15%) and T₆ (0.33%) treatments, respectively. Study results inferred that the treatment T₄ was more effective concerning most of the growth and biochemical parameters of tomato (L. esculentum). Finally, the study concluded that foliar application of chitosan alone or in combination with soil has significant effect on growth, yield and biochemical characters of tomato (L. esculentum).

Assessment of the ichthyofaunal diversity in the Juri River of Sylhet district, Bangladesh

Md. Rashidul Islam — 2019-12-10

This study was conducted to assess the present status of ichthyofaunal assemblages in the Juri River of Fenchuganj upazila in Sylhet district, Bangladesh. Survey works were made in three different locations of the river during May to December, 2018 comprising direct fish catch observations, questionnaire interviews, focus group discussions with fishers, fish traders, aratders (wholesalers) and river bank community members, and key informant interviews with upazila fisheries officer, district fisheries officer, non-governmental organization officials, and local leaders. The results revealed that a total of 75 species of fishes under 25 families were available. Among these species 11 were commonly available, 32 were moderately available, 25 were less available, and 7 were rarely available. Cyprinidae was the leading family consisting of 27% of the total fish population of the study area. However, 10 vulnerable, 8 endangered and 1 critically endangered fish species were also found in small amount. During this study the highest number of species (61) was found in the catches in October and lowest number of species (22) was recorded in July. According to the perceptions of fishers and resource person degradation of habitat, climate change, and human activities are the triggering agents for declining ichthyofaunal diversity in this river. Therefore, this study recommends application of proper management measures including community participation to conserve the ichthyofaunal diversity and enhance fish production in the Juri River.

Ichthyofaunal diversity of Basurabad Beel in regards with threat factors and conservation measures, Bangladesh

Md. Arifur Rahman — 2019-12-10

The present study was conducted to assess the temporal distribution of ichthyofaunal composition of Basurabad beel in Khulna, Bangladesh and investigated the fish biodiversity and core threats to biodiversity to provide recommendations for conservation in the beel. During the study period, total 33 fish species were recorded belonging to 6 orders. The order wise fish species availability was maximum in Perciformes (39.40%) and minimum in Beloniformis (3%). The value of Shannon-Weaver diversity index was found higher in Fultola (1.19±0.41) and lowest in Basurabad (0.68±0.17) while the maximum value of Margalef richness index found in Basurabad (1.12±0.35) and lowest in Debitola (0.68±0.34). The value of Pielou’s evenness index was higher in Boroitola (0.61±0.20) and lowest in Basurabad (0.31±0.16) however the Pielou’s index showed an uneven distribution of fish species in the Basurabad sampling point. The value of Simpson dominance index was higher in Fultola (0.58±0.10) and lowest in Kishmath-Fultola (0.39±0.16). Ten different kinds of fishing gears were identified under 5 major groups in the beel. Among all the gears operated, seine net (Jagat Ber Jal) had the highest catch 31.3±4.1 CC/haul/day/gear (kg) followed by current jal 10.5±2.5 CC/haul/day/gear (kg). This study suggests that comprehensive studies on fisheries biology including reproductive biology, growth, stock assessment and their association with existing laws are essential for the sustainable management and conservation of fish species in the Basurabad beel.

Price behavior, marketing and consumption pattern of tomato in selected region of western Nepal

Saurav Marahatta — 2019-12-10

Tomato is an important marketable vegetable commodity of Nepal; but, due to involvement of middlemen farmers are receiving low price margin, meanwhile, consumer are compelled to pay higher. Keeping these points in view, an attempt has been made to study price behavior, marketing and consumption pattern of tomato in Western Nepal. Pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was administered among randomly selected 90 tomato producers and 10 retailers during march-April 2018. Reports from ministry of agricultural development and journal articles were sources of secondary data. The empirical evidences revealed that, farm gate price, retailers’ price, and price spread was higher for off-seasonal tomato production while producers share was higher for seasonal production; in addition, price of tomato, for both seasons, was increasing. Market analysis depicted, producer-wholesaler-retailer-consumer was the major market channel involved. Low market price, dominancy of wholesaler in price determination, storage problems (mainly in off-season), and malpractices during post-harvest handling were the major problems of marketing. Overall, our study point out that, addressing the mentioned problems, accessing new markets, checking unscrupulous middlemen, and value addition are crucial for sustainable market development.

Agro-tourism: Prospects, importance, destinations and challenges in Nepal

Saugat Khanal — 2019-12-10

Nepal, being an agrarian country and having diverse geography, has tremendous potential for both agricultural and tourism development. In addition, the synergistic effect on national income would have resulted if both agriculture and tourism is practiced in an integrated approach. Keeping this point in view, a study was undertaken to realize agro-biological aspects of Tourism, prospects, importance, destinations, challenges, and suggestion for the improvement in the present chaos of agro-tourism in Nepal. Pieces of Literature were collected from different Journal articles, Government institutes and other relevant reports were studied and the major findings were summarized. Nepal has innumerous tourists destination hubs like majestic and ancient Hindu architect of Kathmandu valley, the serene and tranquil natural beauty of Pokhara, high mountainous emblazoned with snow and diverse flora and fauna; in addition, Ghandruk, Illam, National parks and conservation areas across various ecological zone, Mustang, Dolakha, Solukhumbu, traditional communities, and so on add natural beauty. Agro-tourism in Nepal is in its very beginning and there are many weaknesses, challenges, and threats that retard the successfulness of Agro-tourism which need to be solved soon as “Nepal Tourism vision-2020” is near to mouth. The contribution of the tourism part on Gross Domestic Product has remained mediocre despite regardless of prodigious potentiality. In later days, the homestay and agro-tourism activities have started in different parts of the country in pursuit of noteworthy progress in the tourism sector. After analyzing the relevance of Agro-tourism in Nepal, the possible promotional strategies have been suggested.

Drudgery reduction for women in agriculture sector in Nepal: An analytical study

Urmila Aryal — 2019-12-10

Analysis of rural womens’ livelihood identifies a ‘triple burden’ of work to in the productive, reproductive and social spheres. Feminization is the common phenomenon in Nepal where the roles of men and women are unbalanced at household and community level. Due to the migration of economically active men to other countries and urban area for better jobs, the agricultural labor is being increasingly feminized. This paper assesses factors influencing the women drudgery in agriculture sector, possible interventions and recommendation for reducing such drudgery. It consisted desk review, key informant interview and stakeholders’ consortium meetings to collect information, and triangulation of findings during 2017-2019 at regional and national levels. The study suggests that the workload of women (e.g., time and energy) in the farming activities can be reduced in two ways: (1) making existing tasks easier or increasing the productivity of existing labor, or (2) changing farm practices with new technology. Changes in the existing practice or introduction of new technology often reduces the workload of women in terms of both time and energy, but it requires external inputs and extra knowledge and coaching. Such interventions must consider the aspects of wider acceptance, economic viability and environmental friendliness. Further, the mechanization of agricultural tools and technology have alleviated the burden of tasks traditionally handled by both men and women in the sector. This paper recommends major tools, techniques and skills for women drudgery reduction in agriculture sector in Nepal that will be equally applicable in Asian region.

Cost-benefit analysis and resource use efficiency of rice production system in different agriculture landscapes in Chitwan district, Nepal

Roshan Dhakal — 2019-12-10

The study was conducted to determine the cost-benefit analysis and resource use efficiency of the rice production system in different agriculture landscapes in the Chitwan district in 2018. The sample size of 102 rice-growing farmers out of 600 farmers, having an area of farm size greater than 0.5 hectares, was determined using Raosoft Inc. Software. A simple random sampling technique was used to collect 102 rice-growing household information in four municipalities (2 in plain and 2 in hilly area) using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical tools including Cobb-Douglas production function. Results showed that the use of inputs like seeds, chemical fertilizer and machinery like tractor were found significantly higher in the plain area whereas the use of inputs like labor, farmyard manure (FYM) and bullocks was found in higher in the hilly area. The costs of fertilizer, machinery, pesticide, and transportation were found higher in the plain area whereas the costs of seed, FYM, labor and bullocks were significantly higher in the hilly area. Production of rice per household was 1.87 ton whereas productivity was 5.2 ton/ha, gross profit was NRs. 41435and benefit-cost ratio was 1.59 in the plain area which was found significantly higher than the hilly area. The return to scale was found to be 0.48 which revealed that inputs used in rice production were ineffectively utilized in which organic fertilizer and labor resource were overused and seed, fertilizer, machinery and bullocks, pesticides and transportation were underused resources. The optimal allocation of these resources will increase the profitability of rice farming.

Communication exposure of sub-assistant agriculture officers (SAAOs) towards e-agriculture in Khulna district of Bangladesh

Avijit Biswas — 2019-12-10

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of communication exposure of the Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officers towards e-agriculture in Khulna district of Bangladesh. Study was conducted in the five selected upazilas of Khulna city viz., Rupsa, Dighalia, Phultala, Dumuria and Batiaghata which consist of 108 agricultural blocks. A sample of 100 Sub-Assistant Agriculture Officers (SAAOs) was selected from these blocks. Data were collected following a structured pretested interview schedule. Findings revealed that most 60% of the SAAOs had low communication exposures to e-agriculture. Correlation analysis indicates that age, income and service experience had negative significant relationship with communication exposures of SAAOs to e-Agriculture. Training exposure and knowledge on e-agriculture had positive significant relationship with their communication exposures towards e-agriculture. The enter method of regression analysis revealed that knowledge on e-agriculture, training exposure and monthly income described 77.5 percent variation in the communication exposure of SAAOs. The estimates indicated that knowledge on e-Agriculture had strongest (β=0.479) contribution to the variance of communication exposure to e-Agriculture. On the other hand, monthly income had contributed to the variance of communication exposure of SAAOs towards e-Agriculture in negative direction (β=-0.156). Mobile phone was the highest preferred device in using e-Agricultural media by the SAAOs. “Unfamiliarity of extension workers with e-agriculture application” was the main personal constraint and “lack of training on e-agriculture” was the main organizational constraint which might have led to low communication exposure of SAAOs towards e-agriculture.

Irrigation water quality assessment of Betagi Upazila under Barguna district in Bangladesh

Tanjiba Akter — 2019-12-10

Irrigation water quality is important for the successful crop production. The present study aimed to assess the quality of both ground and surface water for use of irrigation purposes at Betagi Upazila under Barguna district in Bangladesh. Forty two water samples were collected from different locations and their important chemical properties including pH, EC, the concentration of PO₄^3-, SO₄^2-, K⁺, and Na⁺ were analyzed.Results revealed that the pH of the ground and surface water were ranged from 7.23 to 8. 49 and 6.98 to 7.96, respectively. Electrical conductivity (EC) of the water samples were 590 to 1950 µ Scm^-1 and 110 to 380 µ Scm^-1 respectively. The PO₄^3- concentration in groundwater was 0.10 to 0.74 mgL^-1 and surface water was 0.05 to 0.20 mgL^-1. The SO₄^2- concentration of groundwater ranged from 1.29 to 3.10 mgL^-1 and surfacewater was 2.11 to 7.28 mgL^-1. The K⁺ ion concentration was 4.55 to 11.38 mgL^-1 in groundwater and 6.12 to 22.44 mgL^-1 in surface water. The PO₄^3- and SO₄^2- concentration in most of the ground and surface water samples within the “safe” limit for irrigation, whereas the pH, EC, and K⁺ concentration in both ground and surface water were not in the safe limit. Besides this, Na⁺ concentration was higher in groundwater than surface water. Based on chemical properties, surface water is more suitable as irrigation water compared to groundwater in the study area.

Production economics of Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rose.) in Salyan district of Nepal

Nobel Acharya — 2019-12-10

This study investigates the economics of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rose.) production in the Salyan district of Nepal. The production economics was assessed by the household survey in purposively selected Sharada municipality and Siddhakumakh Rural Municipalities. The semi-structured interview schedule was administered to interview randomly selected forty-three producers from Sharada Municipality and thirty-one producers from Siddhakumakh Rural Municipality. The results indicated that the ginger production was found to be a profitable enterprise in the study area with an average B:C ratio of 1.55. The overall productivity of ginger in the study area was found to be 16.28 MT/ha. The Cobb-Douglas production function indicates that ginger production exhibited increasing returns to scale at a decreasing rate. The regression function of 0.784 implies that if all the inputs specified in the production function are increased by 100%, the gross return will increase by about 78.4%.

Value chain analysis of Allo (Girardinia diversifolia) in Solukhumbu district of Nepal

Padam Lal Bhandari — 2019-12-10

Allo (Girardinia diversifolia) is a herbaceous perennial shrub found in subtropical and temperate regions of Nepal. The stem bark of Allo contains fibers with unique strength, smoothness, and silk-like luster. The fiber is used to make clothing since times immemorial. The fiber, thread, and woven clothes are commercially traded in a few districts of Nepal. Residents of hilly areas and ethnic groups have for centuries extracted and spun the fiber to weave durable jackets, porter headbands or straps, fishing nets, ropes, bags, mats, coarse clothing material, and blankets. Therefore, this study was conducted in Solukhombu district using focus group discussion, key informant interview with Allo collectors, and the rapid market survey was conducted with Allo processing enterprises as well as traders at regional to national market hubs in 2018. We found that the exploitation rate of Allo in the study area has been affecting the availability and sustainability of raw material in the natural habitat. This study suggested the need for sustainable management through domestication and proper harvesting technique.

Adoption of certain improved varieties of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in seven different provinces of Nepal

Sanjiv Subedi — 2019-12-10

This study used farm level data to analyze the adoption of improved wheat varieties in Nepal. The seven districts each having the highest wheat area coverage in their respective provinces was selected. Pre-tested interview schedule was used to collect the primary information. The relevant literatures were reviewed for secondary information. The simple random method of sampling was used and 651 samples were taken. Descriptive statistics, probit regression and indexing were applied. This study showed that 94.1% of the area was covered by the improved wheat varieties, while 3.3% by local and 2.6% by the Indian varieties. In addition, of the improved varieties, NL 297 had the highest area coverage (30.88 %) followed by Vijay (23.24%), Gautam (12.95%), NL 971 (8.94%) and Aditya (5.34%) respectively. Probit econometric model revealed that membership of organization (1% level of significance), subsidy by the government (1% level), gender of the household head (5% level) and family member in foreign employment (10%) significantly determined the adoption of improved wheat varieties developed after NARC establishment. The indexing identified and ranked- lack of availability of quality improved seeds (I= 0.75) as the first followed by poor availability of fertilizers (0.65), labour shortage (0.61), lack of proper irrigation (0.55) and lack of agricultural machines (0.45) that were associated wheat production in study site. The concerned government institutions should assure the availability of quality improved seeds and fertilizers to the farmers; the subsidy on irrigation and agricultural machines allied with financial grant could attract the farmers towards wheat cultivation which ultimately contributes to increase wheat productivity.

Effects of different fertilizers on the growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) in summer season in Chitwan, Nepal

Sandesh Bhandari — 2019-12-10

An experiment was conducted in the Horticulture Farm of Agriculture and Forestry University to demonstrate the effects of different fertilizers on the yield and yield parameters of okra (var. Arka Anamika). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) consisting of seven treatments and three replications. The various treatments used in the experiment were goat manure, sesame cake, mustard cake, synthetic fertilizer (NPK), poultry manure, vermicompost and untreated control. The required dose of nitrogen was fulfilled by the fertilizer itself whereas insufficient amount of phosphorous and potassium was fulfilled by addition of single super phosphate and muriate of potash respectively. The fertilizers were applied on the basis of recommendation given by the Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC). The effect of poultry manure on number of open flowers and number of fruits at 40 DAS was found superior. The effect of poultry manure on plant height, number of leaves, plant diameter was found superior at 50 DAS. Goat manure produced the superior result on number of open flowers at 50 DAS. Poultry manure on the number of leaves and plant height produced the significant result at 60 DAS. Synthetic fertilizer responded well to number of fruits at 60 DAS. Sesame cake produced the superior results at 70 DAS on number of buds. Poultry manure responded well to all the parameters and produced the yield of 200 qt./ha with the BC ratio of 1.77. This experiment suggests the farmers to use the poultry manure to get the highest economic return. Vermicompost and mustard cake producing the superior and significant yield in this research are not recommended as they have low BC ratio unless effective measures are encouraged to reduce the cost of this fertilizers.

Sustainability of smallholder seed enterprises (SSE): A case study of Nagarpur and Shahjadpur Upazila, Bangladesh

Md. Saddam Hossen — 2019-12-10

Smallholders’ seed production, processing, and marketing of major crops such as rice, wheat, and maize have been important issues for seed security worldwide. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization reports, the smallholder’s seed enterprise (SSE) is the best way of ensuring the availability of quality non-hybrid seeds. The concept of SSE is built to fulfill the farmer’s seed demand by the development of their own seed production system. It is so important for sustainable agriculture. Although, this system does not perform properly due to some limitations. So, the present study aimed to assess the important indicators that directly related to the sustenance of smallholder’s seed enterprises. It will be helpful to enhance SSEs effectiveness. Data were collected from 120 smallholders of six villages of Nagarpur and Shahjadpur Upazila under Tangail and Sirajganj districts in Bangladesh, respectively. Results revealed that 92.5% of the smallholder had moderate to highly sustainable seed enterprises. Based on standardized coefficients, institutional functions, price of seed, human capital and marketing facilities considered as highly influential indicators. Finally, the existing institutions play a key role in achieving the sustainability of SSEs by providing necessary supports.

Impact of industrial wastewater disposal on surface water bodies in Kalingarayan canal, Erode district, Tamil Nadu, India

T. Mohanakavitha — 2019-12-10

The Kalingarayan canal is crossing the major textile town Erode which is abundantly occupied by textile units. Major streams carrying the untreated / semi treated industrial effluents are mixed into the canal. However, the gradual introduction of a large number of new chemical compounds and the technologies has resulted in a much higher number of contaminants today. The original situation, which local intense pollution from a limited number of well-defined sources has been transferred into a situation with widespread contamination by a large variety of compounds from a multitude of sources. Continuous disposal of industrial effluents on the canal, limited assimilate capacity of the canal and also leads to groundwater pollution. Kalingarayan canal has helped to cultivate more than 6000 hectares. For the past few years, Kalingarayan farmers and cattle are experiencing various problems. The area of cultivation is reduced to 3000 hectares because of the contamination in the canal by the different polluting industries like tanneries, textiles and dyeing units located in Erode and Tirupur areas. Hence yield on their lands has decreased to a certain extent. Thus, this study gives a clear picture of pollution sources, types of effluents added in the canal. The scope of the present study is to assess the impact on the surface water of the Kalingarayan canal, a comprehensive experimental study to identify the pollutant levels in the surface water of the Kalingarayan canal and to suggest a suitable remedial measure to handle this problem.

Simulating the effects of human urine on phenology and some cultivar coefficients of Cowpea (Vigna unguicalata L. Walp) using the DSSAT-CROPGRO model

David Lomeling — 2019-12-10

The DSSAT-CROPGRO model was used to characterize phenology and cultivar coefficients of cowpea treated with diluted human urine (equivalent to 60 kg-N/ha), simulated under ten irrigation schedules for a 5 year production period in Juba County of Central Equatoria State, South Sudan. Two treatments (T₀) without urine and (T₁) with human urine dilution during the growing season of 2016 were used and, 5-years model simulations on the grain number/m², LAI, canopy height (m) and pod number/m² compared. Irrigation schedules were carried out once the volumetric soil moisture content measured using the Theta Soil Moisture Probe was close to 15%. Results showed that cultivar coefficients EM-LF, FL-LF and FL-SH for both T₁ and Y2015 (calibrant) were on average 6-8 days shorter than under T₁. Also, the SIZLF under T₁ was about 8-17% greater than under both T₀ and calibrant Y2015 indicating the significance of diluted human urine on cowpea cultivar coefficients and phenology. The model also gave good agreement between observed and simulated growth parameters with low RMSE of the pod nr/m² at 17 for T₀, and 37.5 for T₁, the RMSE for grain nr/m² was 360 kg for T₁, and 347 kg for T₀, whereas the RMSE of LAI showed no significant difference. The d-indices in estimating LAI and canopy height were generally low and showed the largest errors than for pod nr/m² and grain nr/m². The results showed that the model satisfactorily simulated and underscored the significance of diluted human urine on both phenology and cultivar coefficients of cowpea.

Heavy metals toxicity of surface soils near industrial vicinity: A study on soil contamination in Bangladesh

Sharmita Rani Mallick — 2019-12-10

Tangail district is more vulnerable to heavy metals contamination for industrialization in Bangladesh. Present study describe six heavy metals (Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, and Pb) in fifteen several sampling locations in industrial vicinity of Tangail district were determined. The concentration of Cr, Ni, Cu, As, Cd, and Pb in studied areas soils were observed 0.96–14.04, 0.71– 18.39, 1.02–34.44, 1.2–11.21, 0.44–3.31 and 2.01–28.86 mg/kg, respectively. There is representing a potential risk to the environment for presenting of these heavy metals in soils. This metals are generally toxic to soil and environment. They can persist in the environment for many years and have adverse effect to ecology. Certain indices like contamination factor (CF), enrichment factor (EF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo), pollution load index (PLI), source analysis, principle component analysis (PCA), and toxic units were calculated to determine environmental hazard caused by heavy metals in studied soils. Enrichment factors for the studied metals were in the descending order of Cd > As > Pb > Cu >Ni > Cr. The PLI values for studied metals, causes the Cd contamination in soil of Tangail district. Potential ecological risk (PER) showed low to very high risk to studied vicinity.

Preliminary toxicity assessment of chromium (Cr) and lead (Pb) on terrestrial snail (Helix aspersa)

Varun Dhiman — 2020-03-25

Chromium and lead are among the major toxicants that have their own environmental concerns and are very harmful for living organisms even in small concentrations. The present study is performed to evaluate the acute toxicity potential of chromium and lead on terrestrial garden snail (Helix aspersa) at different concentration ranges from 1.0 mg/L to 20 mg/L at different exposure time. In determining acute toxicity, LC₅₀values after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h for both the metals were determined by probit statistical analysis method. Graphs also plotted between percent mortality and used concentrations to obtain regression equation and R² values. The obtained median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) for chromium were 15.13 mg/L, 12.88 mg/L, 6.76 mg/L and 4.027 mg/L for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h period of exposure, respectively. Similarly, for lead obtained LC₅₀ values were 15.282 mg/L, 6.095 mg/L, 2.094 mg/L and 1.352 mg/L for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h period of exposure, respectively. The study signifies the role of these metals in causing metal stress which leads to variation in electrolytes and A/G (Albumin to Globulin) ratio. The analysis of obtained results revealed that chromium is less toxic to H. aspersa in comparison to lead at similar concentrations and exposure time. It is concluded that the present study is one of its own kind of approach which may contribute in developing standard protocols for determining preliminary toxicity assessment of different heavy metals.

Assessment of remittance and its impacts on economic growth in Nepal

Sushma Banjara — 2020-03-25

This study delves into the issues related to remittance and its role in the Nepalese economy. Remittance is found to have positive association with human capital formation and financial development while negative impact on productivity and international trade in Nepal. Nepal is one of the leading nations of sending workers abroad received approximately US$ 6.29 billion of remittances, almost 25 per cent of its GDP in 2017/18. The investment of remitted amount in unproductive sectors like consumption expenses rather than in productive sectors has resulted in an increment in overall import. The remitted income has occupied a major position of financing which exceeds all the foreign aid and investment in recent years. Thus, the Government of Nepal should make an appropriate policy to maximize the benefit of remittance and retain the manpower to the sustainable economic growth and development sector of the country.

Analysis of agricultural growth and its determinant factors in Nepal

Amrit Dumre — 2020-03-25

This paper critically analyzes the trajectory of agricultural growth and its determinants in Nepal. Agricultural growth is vital for stimulating overall economic growth. The World Bank research shows strong statistical link between agricultural and overall economic growth in less developed countries. Economic growth and agricultural growth in Nepal also show strong correlation (r = 0.7501^***). Agricultural transformation is characterized by declining share of agriculture in national employment and GDP, and increasing share of secondary sectors like industry, service and manufacturing. However, this structural shift seems unplanned and ungoverned in case of Nepal. The contribution of agriculture to GDP is continuously declining, but, the growth of secondary sectors likes industry and manufacturing still looks stagnant. At this incipient stage of agricultural transformation, productivity growth in agriculture is both a necessary as well as sufficient condition for the development of economy as a whole. Agricultural growth depends on institutional (agricultural credit and land holdings), infrastructural (irrigated area, farm mechanization, electricity, storage, transportation, agricultural market), technological (high yielding varieties or improved seed, fertilizers and pesticides) and socioeconomic factors (population, poverty and literacy). Policies strengthening these determinants can help Nepal in achieving targeted sustained economic growth.

A case study of medicinal plants and their usage by the local community of Dilasaini Gaunpalika, Baitadi district, Nepal

Sandesh Thapa — 2020-03-25

An Ethnomedicinal survey study was conducted to get information about the usage of medicinal plants and the diversity of species found around the village. The main objective of the study was to document the plants for their medicinal and other uses. Ethnomedicinal plants are locally available used by tribal communities and local inhabitants for various medicinal purposes. Random sampling survey was conducted by selecting 50 households to access the medicinal plants and document their usage in Gokuleshwor, Baitadi. A total of 33 species of medicinal plants to treat 40 ailments was reported with their multipurpose use. During the survey, an equal proportion of males and females aged 14 to 78 were selected randomly. The literacy rate of the study area was 80% and 94% of the people were found to be involved in the collection of medicinal plants. The majority of the respondents (92%) used medicinal plants for minor diseases like cuts, wounds whereas few were found to use the medicinal plant for a long time to treat major diseases like cancer, tumor. The use of medicinal plants for skin infections, cuts and wounds, fever was found to be high followed by diarrhea, common cold, ulcer, asthma, jaundice, burns, piles, and eye inflammation. Most of the plants were found to be used for more than one disease. The conservation of Indigenous knowledge on the Ethnomedicinal plant should be promoted as most of the respondents were unaware of the conservation of medicinal plants.

Impact of forest land cover on runoff, erosion and sedimentation in the Karai Watershed, Simalungun Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia

Basuki Wasis — 2020-03-25

Development activities in the Karai Watershed, in upstream area, are intensive. The activities tend to decrease the land abilities in absorbing water and protecting surface soil for erosion, which finally affect the rise of vegetation damage, soil damage, surface run-off and erosion The method of taking samples and analyzing environmental damage were conducted by purposive sampling. Data from laboratory tests of soil physical, chemical and biological properties were analyzed by statistical tests. Measurement result shows that the wide of Karai Watershed is 462 km², in which covered forest wide is 115.5 km² (25%) and the wide of non-forest area (garden, dwelling site, road etc) is 346.5 km² (75%). Land Cover for non forest area is the biggest sediment source in Karai Watershed. Based on observation on field and laboratory analysis, it shows that conservation activities in natural forest to garden, road, and dwelling site have caused damages to soil (parameter bulk density and total fungi) and environment with indicators of erosion, sediment materials in Karai River and Karai 7 Project location. Observation result shows that program to reduce erosion and sedimentation could be implemented by integrated management program of Karai Watershed with priorities to develop mixed garden and agroforestry.

Assessment of fish pond sediments for growth, yield and nutritional quality of Indian spinach (Basella alba L.)

M. Ashraful Islam — 2020-03-25

Integrated farming system is a very effective tool for improving rural economy. Our present study was carried out in different pond dykes of Dumuria upazila of Khulna district, Bangladesh to investigate the effect of different fish pond sediments on growth, yield and subsequently analyze the nutritional quality of Indian spinach. The experiment consisted of two factors viz., pond types (P) (three different ponds growing different fish species: P₁ = prawn and carp, P₂ = prawn and mola, and P₃=prawn, mola and carp) and each pond was cultivated with different fish species with different population densities); and pond sediments (M) (three levels: M₁ = pond dyke soil, M₂ =50% pond mud and 50% pond dyke soil, and M₃=100% pond mud). Physical and chemical properties of three ponds dyke soil as well as sediments were analyzed. Parameters studied on Indian spinach were growth, yield and nutritional qualities. Pond sediments were better quality due to well decomposition and microbial activity of sediments compared to dyke soil of ponds. Organic matter of pond sediment was 2.79 (P₃) and EC was 790 (µc/cm). Plant height was varied from 10 to 19% due to the ponds type and sediment effects. Mostly, the plant growth was found better under the supplement of 100% pond sediments compared to dyke soil (M₁) and mixed soil (M₂). The highest yield was found in P₃M₃ and it was varied from 20 to 25%. Minerals like Ca (%), P (%), and S (mg/100g) were found statistically significantly higher in P₂M₃ compared to other treatments combinations. Nutrition like Vit A and Vit C were the highest (81.33 µg/100 g and 106.14 mg/100 g, respectively) found significantly higher in P₂M₃. Therefore, the pond mud (50% and 100%) can be used to increase the yield and nutrient uptake by the crop which can facilitate to reduce eutrophication and fertilizer for the better environment.

Economics of production and marketing of natural rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) in Jhapa, Nepal

Subodh Raj Pandey — 2020-03-25

A study was carried to assess the production and marketing status of natural rubber in Jhapa district in 2019, from a random sample of 70 households and 5 traders. Results were drawn using descriptive and inferential statistics employing SPSS and MS-Excel. The average area under natural rubber cultivation was 2.2 bigha and the productive area was 1.21 bigha. The average rubber sheet produced per household was 1167.092 kg and average yield was found to be 958.77 kg/bigha in the study area. The average annual household income from natural rubber was found to be NRs. 233418.57 which contributes 58.54 percent in the total household income. Three marketing channels were identified and the price spread ranged from NRs. 20 to 40. The producers’ share in consumers’ price ranged from 81.82% to 90.91%. The major production problem identified was the lodging by wind (0.80) and the major marketing problem faced by producers and traders was the absence of grading facility (0.82). Rubber farms were found to be a profitable farm enterprise with a discounted benefit-cost ratio of 1.88. The calculated NPV was 410992.40, IRR was 22% and PBP was 8.52 years respectively denoting the sustainability of rubber cultivation. RRIM 600, RRII 105 and GT1 were the major growing varieties of rubber in the study area. The cost of establishment in the first year (48.702%) is highest compared to the following years. The selling price of latex and sheet was found higher in 2015 and 2016 with a reduction of price in 2017 due to the high import of Indonesian rubber sheet. This research tries to present the general idea on the overall production and marketing status in the study area.

Role of credit in maize (Zea mays L.) production and assessment of food security in a selected area of Bangladesh

Most. Rehana Akter — 2020-03-25

Credit provides the means for many farmers to adjust their operations to keep up with the constant changes and, by doing so, to improve their operations. It also contributes to achieve food security of households. Tabular method is used to analyze credit profile, multiple regression analyses are used to determine the impact of credit on maize production and “Modified” OECD scale is used to measure calorie intake level of the 60 maize farming households who has got agricultural credit from Rajshahi Krishi Unnayan Bank in Lalmonirhat district of Bangladesh. Data were collected through field survey by using pre-designed and pre-tested interview schedule. TK.10500, 26333.33, 92103.77 (US$ 125, 313.49, 1096.47) for small, medium and large categories, respectively, which was 100% of the total applied amount. The total principal received by the household was about TK. 50, 02,500 (US$ 59553.57) and at 9% interest it became TK. 54, 52,725 (US$ 64913.39). The repayment performance of the households was about 100%. It is also revealed from the study that credit had a positive impact on fertilizer demand and irrigation demand and overall a positive impact on maize production. The coefficient of maize production with respect to agricultural credit was 0.081. The elasticity of fertilizer and irrigation demand with respect to credit was 0.016 and 0.543 respectively. The calorie intake situation of the sample households depicts that about 6.67% of the respondents belonged to the ultra-poor whose per day calorie intake was 1481.991 k.cal. About 20% of respondents were hardcore poor whose per day calorie intake was 1722.133 k.cal. The persons belonged to the absolute poor about 21.67% and per capita calorie intake was 1934.605 k.cal. The rest 51.67% belonged to the non-poor group. Different financial institutions should disburse sufficient agricultural credit to fulfill the requirement of the farmers.

Growth, yield and quality of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in response to sowing date and phosphorus fertilization

Wasima Yasmin — 2020-03-25

An experiment was carried out to study the effect of date of sowing and level of phosphorus on the yield, yield components and seed protein content of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during November 2018 to March 2019 to study the influence of sowing date and phosphorous fertilization on the growth, yield and quality of faba bean (V. faba). Three date of sowing viz. 25 November, 5 December, 15 December and five levels of phosphorus viz., 0, 10, 20, 30, 40 kg P ha^-1 were used in this experiment laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. At 60 DAS, 25 November sowing fertilized with 40 kg P ha^-1 showed significant influence on all characters except dry matter production. Early sowing on 25 November produced the tallest plant (42.95 cm), highest number of branches plant^-1(8.31), number of pods plant^-1(49.87), 1000-seed weight (97.55 g), seed yield (1.21 t ha^-1), stover yield (1.98 t ha^-1) and seed protein content (31.54%) while the corresponding lowest values were recorded from late sowing on 15 December. The crop fertilized with 40 kg P ha^-1 produced the highest number of branches plant^-1(8.33), number of pods plant^-1(49.05), 1000-seed weight (97.40 g), seed yield (1.33 t ha^-1), stover yield (2.28 t ha^-1) and seed protein content (38.17%) while control treatment (0 kg P ha^-1) produced the lowest values of all parameters. In case of interaction, the highest number of pods plant^-1 (58.42), seed yield (1.59 t ha^-1), stover yield (2.44 t ha^-1) and protein content in seeds (39.60) were recorded with 25 November sowing fertilized with 40 kg P ha^-1 whereas the lowest seed yield (0.54 t ha^-1), stover yield (1.32 t ha^-1) and seed protein content (25.90%) were obtained from 15 December sowing along with control treatment. Therefore, early sowing (25 November) with 40 kg P ha^-1 appears as the promising combination for higher yield and seed protein content of faba bean.

Using the DSSAT-CROPGRO model to simulate gross margin and N-leaching of cowpea fertigated with human urine

David Lomeling — 2020-03-25

This study simulated the biophysical, economic and environmental implications of cowpea fertigated with human urine (equivalent to 60 kg N ha^-1) as source of organic N. The DSSAT CROPGRO model was used to simulate harvested cowpea yield, N_(leached), N_(uptake), monetary returns or gross margins in ($) under two different treatments: without fertigation or human urine (T₀) and with fertigation (T₁). Biophysical analysis using the Cumulative Probability Distribution (CPD) showed a 50% probability of the harvested cowpea yield under T₁ being higher than under T₀ at 1060 and 600 kg ha^-1 respectively, accounting for a 43.4% difference. The Mean Gini Stochastic Dominance (MGSD) analysis was used to assess the gross margin and helped in deciding on the best strategic and management option. The findings of this study revealed a 50% probability (CPD_0.5), of higher gross margin under T₁ at $ -215 higher than under T₀ at $285. This was a $70 difference per season under T₁ and so enhancing a faster payback and a larger monetary return on overall investments. Similarly, seasonal analysis with fertigation showed that at CPD_0.5, the N_(leached) was still < 4 kg N ha^-1 per season and so posed no environmental risks. The simulation results also showed higher a probability of N_(uptake) of about 270 kg N ha^-1 during fertigation compared to about 95 kg N ha^-1 under T₀. Therefore, the DSSAT CROPGRO model can be used to successfully forecast future cowpea yields, gross margin, N_(leached), N_(uptake) under different management practices to enable smallholder farmers in South Sudan make informed decisions on sustainable cowpea production.

MD. MOKARRAM HOSSAIN