Physiology and bromatology of Oryctolagus cunicullus L. 1758 fed browse legume with enzyme levels

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effects of feeding rabbits with Maxigrain® (M) enzyme supplemented Gliricidia sepium leaf meal (GLM) on their physiology, performance characteristics, and nutrients digestibility. Twenty weaned rabbits of mixed sexes, 5-6 weeks old, were randomly allotted to five dietary treatments including 0 g M which was soybean without M (control) and GLM supplemented with M at 50, 100, 150 and 200 g M per kilogramme of GLM. There were four rabbits per treatment and one rabbit as replicate in a completely randomized design. There were no significant (p > 0.05) treatment effects in all physiological and performance indices as well as those of crude fat, fibre and NFE digestibilities. There were variations (p < 0.05) due to the treatment effects on dry matter, crude protein and ash digestiblities. This implies that the feeding of soft faeces directly from the caecum called coprophagy mechanism in rabbits has its concomitant nutritional benefits. This advantageous benefit can enable rabbit to effectively and efficiently utilize forage or forage-based diet with or without enzyme supplementation.

Comparative study on the phenology, gender and yield components of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) varieties

The intensity of sex expression is important in crops, including cucumber, since sex form and flowering have direct effects on date of harvesting and yield. Two groups of cucumber comprising a native variety (Odukpani) and elite varieties (Griffaton, Poinsett, Ashley, Marketmore and Monarch) were evaluated in 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm, College of Agriculture, Garkawa, Plateau State; to assess flowering, sex expression and some yield traits. The experimental design was randomized complete block design with the 6 cucumber varieties as the treatments, replicated five times. The two groups differed significantly (p < 0.05) in phonological, flowering and yield traits assessed. The elite varieties were superior with respect to flowering traits, as they flowered early. The intra-population hierarchical cluster analysis of quantitative traits grouped the elite varieties in one main cluster and the native variety (Odukpani) alienated as an outlier. The cluster plots showed that Odukpani was robust in vegetative growth, produced few but larger fruit size and flowering was delayed for over two weeks. Conversely, the elite varieties flowered early, produced more flowers and recorded superior number of fruits per plant. The profuse production of pistillate flowers by the elite varieties had pronounced yield advantage over the local variety. Hybridization between the two groups of cucumber would make a mark in the drive for sustainable cucumber fruit yield.

Determination of Kolgrace bio-fertilizer rate for optimum greengram (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) production in Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria

Greengram productivity has been improved by application of farmyard manures in the last two decades; however, these manures are not readily available as at when needed. In some cases, they are available but in limited supply. Kolgrace bio-fertilizer, a novel commercial product of the Association of Organic Agricultural Practitioners could serve as a superior alternative to farmyard manures. Hence, a field experiment was carried out at the Teaching & Research Farm of the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan, Nigeria during the 2015 cropping season to evaluate the effects of five rates (0.00, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 t ha–1) of Kolgrace bio-fertilizer on the performance of greengram. The aim was to determine the optimum rate of application of this biofertilizer for greengram production. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications. Data were collected on growth and yield traits, and were subjected to analysis of variance. Results showed that Kolgrace rates significantly (p < 0.01) influenced all the traits measured with exception of fresh pod yield (FPY). Plant height (112 cm), number of leaves (87), stem girth (1.43 mm) and number of flowers (10) at 8 weeks after planting (WAP) were significantly highest with the application of 0.5 t ha–1 whereas, 0.25 t ha–1 gave best results for number of pods (42) and pod yield (3.85 t ha –1). The application of 0.5 t ha–1 is, therefore, recommended if the interest of the farmer is sprout, fodder or green manure, and 0.25 t ha–1 if the interest is for seed production.

Testing the accuracy of Soil Testing Kit® Transchem

Soil testing is key to soil fertility management as it serves as a fertilizer application guide to farmers, scientists and consultants. It gives information on soil nutrient status and its supplying capacity. Laboratory (LB) procedures have been the most reliable approach for soil nutrients analyses. However, it is costly and nonpoint. Thus, the use of in–situ testing kit emerges and becomes prominent. Notwithstanding, applicability of soil testing kit must be validated by laboratory test. This work aimed to examine the reliability/suitability of Soil Testing Kit® Transchem (SK) in determining selected soil nutrients in Sahel Savannah, Nigeria. Twentyfive replicate soil samples were collected from 12°47’86’’-12°20’96’’N and 4°38’37’’-4°188’02’’E, Kebbi State Nigeria and used to test soil pH, N, P, K and soil organic carbon (SOC) by SK and LB. The SK uses colour chart and comparator for rating nutrients status qualitatively into; low, medium and high and up to very high for P. The LB results were transformed to qualitative data by corresponding the values with soil rating standardinto low, medium and high. To perform statistics, weighting was done by assigning weight load to each category; low = 1, medium = 2 and high = 3. The two methods were compared using t-test, regression and descriptive analyses. Results showed non-significant difference between the two methods for soil contents of N, P and K. However, SK poorly estimated soil pH and SOC. Correlation and regression coefficients (r = 0.915 and R2 = 0.838, respectively) indicated reliability of the SK. It is concluded that SK can be reliably used for N, P, and K but not soil pH and SOC estimation for soils in Sahel savannah of Nigeria.

Determinants of resource use efficiencies among lowland rice farmers of Enugu State, Nigeria

The gap in supply and demand of rice could be due to observable differentials in the allocative efficiency of the rice farmers in Nigeria. Therefore, the study focused on the determinants of resource-use efficiencies and profitability of lowland rice farmers of Enugu State, Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique was used to collect cross-sectional data from 300 smallholder rice farmers across the six agricultural zones of the State. The gross margin (GM) analysis was used to estimate the profitability while the marginal value productmarginal factor cost (MVP-MFC) was used to evaluate the efficiency of rice farming. The Stochastic Frontier Cost Function was also used to estimate the determinants of resource use efficiency among lowland rice farmers in Enugu state. The results from the GM showed that rice production is profitable with an average rate of returns on investment (ROI) of 2.80. The MVP-MFC analysis showed that all the input factors hypothesized were over-utilised indicating the existence of large-scale resource-use inefficiency among lowland rice farmers of the state. Education and age were the only socio-economic variables that affected the allocative efficiency of the rice farmers. The study recommends a farm-level policy directed towards the encouragement of younger adults since they are more likely to adopt innovation and boost efficiency and investment in extension education for advisory services to facilitate resource-use efficiencies.

Factors influencing input dealers’ performance of extension roles to farmers in Yobe State of Nigeria

The study examined factors influencing input dealers’ performance of extension role to farmers in Yobe State of Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was adopted in selecting 86 input dealers. Primary data were collected from them on socioeconomic characteristics, performance of extension roles, sources of agricultural knowledge and training using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. Results showed that input dealers were mostly males (98.8%); young and agile with mean age of 41.8 years, 44.2% had tertiary education but 86.0% had no agricultural qualifications. Although input dealers’ performance of extension roles was high (55.8%), they had low training (68.6%) to boost performance. Significant relationships existed between performance of extension roles and type of trade (χ2 = 25.135, p < 0.05) and membership of input dealers association (χ2 = 12.550, p < 0.05). Also, a significant positive correlation existed between performance of extension roles and training received (r = 0.33, p < 0.05) and sources of agricultural knowledge (r = 0.25, p < 0.05). It was recommended that input dealers should be strengthened to perform extension roles by enhancing their training and access to sources of agricultural knowledge via institutionalized research, extension, input companies and input dealers’ linkage.

Influence of urea fertilizer on early growth of African Rose Wood (Pterocarpus erinaceous Poir.) seedlings in Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria

Influence of urea fertilizer on early growth and development of Pterocarpus erinaceous seedlings were investigated. Two hundred (200) uniformly growing seedlings were transplanted into polythene pots filled with top soil. Four urea fertilizer rates (0.035; 0.065; 0.095; 0.0125 g) and control were applied to the seedlings in the pots 20 × 25 × 25 cm, filled with 800 g of top soil collected from forest plantation. Assessment on the metrical character of the seedlings was done fortnightly. The fertilization of the selected seedlings with urea fertilizer was done round the seedlings in the nursery pots using ring method. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design. The data were subjected to analysis of variance, and means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test at p < 0.05. The results show that fertilizer rates had significant (p < 0.05) effect on the growth and development of seedlings of P. erinaceous. Seedlings treated with 0.095 g of urea produced the highest mean values of 12.00 ± 0.66 cm; 0.33 ± 0.01 mm; 190 cm2 and 12.65 ± 0.67 for stem height, collar diameter, leaf area (LA) and number of leaves respectively. Seedlings fed with 0.125 g had the lowest values of 11.19 ± 0.61cm for height, 0.32± 0.01 mm for collar diameter 11.54 ± 0.70 for number of leaves and 124 cm2 for the LA. Urea fertilizers had significant effect on the early growth of the seedlings, therefore fertilization at 0.095 g per pot is recommended for raising P. erinaceous seedlings.

Enumeration of carbon and nitrogen contents of water-stable aggregates in layers of topsoils from cultivated and adjacent bush-fallow loamy soils

Soil organic carbon (SOC) and total soil nitrogen (TSN) dynamics have both pedological and agronomic basis. Knowledge of their retention within aggregate hierarchies of varying soil textures as influenced by land use change is limited. The capacity of loam (L), clay loam (CL), sandy loam (SL) and sandy clay loam (SCL) soils to retain SOC and TSN in water-stable aggregate (WSA) at 10-cm intervals of 0-30 cm topsoil depths under cultivated and bushfallow/ uncultivated systems was investigated. The soils showed high dispersion ratio and great variations in aggregate silt and clay indices (CL > L > SCL > SL) under both land uses. Across soil depths, the uncultivated CL, SL and SCL soils had moderate to high > 2.00 mm WSA whose reduction due to cultivation impact was more pronounced in SL than in CL soil. Across soil depths and land uses, SOC content seemed higher in the macro- (> 0.50 mm) than in the micro- (< 0.50 mm) aggregates of all the soils while the reverse marked aggregate TSN content in almost all the soils. Cultivation mostly reduced macro-aggregate-associated SOC and TSN in L > CL > SL and in L > SL > CL > SCL soils, respectively. However, cultivation showed no reduction influence on micro-aggregate-associated SOC of all the soils. Cultivation-related reduction in micro-aggregate-associated TSN was more pronounced in the generally more ‘clayey’ CL and SCL than the L and SL soils. So, the potential of bush-fallowing to enhance micro-aggregateassociated TSN storage and stabilization against adverse influence of cultivation depends on soil texture.

Production and quality assessment of mayonnaise from blends of soybean oil and african pear (Dacryodes edulis) pulp oil

Mayonnaise is an oil-in-water emulsion rich in calorie, micronutrients and fat-soluble vitamins which is produced from dominantly vegetable oil. African pear oil is a highly unsaturated oil, domestically and commercially underutilize with tonnage of postharvest losses. It presently, has little or no industrial attraction for use as commercial ingredient for food production and formulation. The aim therefore is to improve the commercial value of African pear pulp oil for use as a main ingredient in food applications, hence improving its utilization and reducing postharvest losses. Oil was extracted from African pear through Soxhlet extraction using n-hexane as the solvent and the extracted oil was blended with soybean oil in the following ratios: SO100:APO0 (Control), SO0:APO100, SO85:APO15, SO75:APO25, SO65:APO35, and SO50:APO50 for the production of mayonnaise. Some physicochemical properties of the oil blends were evaluated while proximate and sensory properties were also evaluated in the produced mayonnaise. Blending increased theiodine, acid and free fatty acid values of the oil blends and decreased significantly (p < 0.05) the peroxide value. The values ranged from 30.65 to 124.00 g iodine 100g–1, 6.85 to 2.57 mg KOH g–1, 5.03 to 1.91% and 2.62 to 3.50 meq O2 kg–1 for iodine, acid, free fatty acid and peroxide values, respectively. The proximate composition parameters of the mayonnaise samples increased significantly (p < 0.05) after blending. The values ranged from 32.65 to 35.04% for moisture, 1.12 to 1.44% for ash, 30.15 to 37.15% for fat, 1.93 to 2.31% for protein and 25.87 to 34.15% for carbohydrate. Significant improvement was recorded in the values of vitamin E, iodine and viscosity values of the mayonnaise samples after blending compared to the control with values ranging from 4.97 to 22.60 mg 100g–1 for vitamin E, 28.70 to 88.10 g iodine 100g–1 for iodine value and 24.70 to 30.13 Pa.s for viscosity. Sensory evaluation showed that the mayonnaise samples were generally acceptable by the panelists. Conclusively, blending soybean oil with African pear oil up to 50:50 could be used in the production of acceptable mayonnaise with higher fat, protein, ash, vitamin E, iodine value and viscosity, thereby reducing its postharvest losses through improved utilization.

Growth performance, haematology and serum lipid profile of broiler chickens fed three varieties of ripe Solanum melongena fruit meal supplements

The growth, haematological and serum characteristics of Cobb broilers (n = 112) fed inclusions of ripe Solanum melongena fruit meal (SMFM) varieties were incorporated in a 56-day trial. The completely randomized design was employed in assigning day-old chicks to four labeled groups (T1-T4) with four replications. Dietary treatment of SMFM varieties was according to study groups such that T1 had Abia var. Okpokwe, T2 contained Nsukka Ind × Jos, T3 enclosed Nsukka Ind × Nsukka Local, while T4 was control. Daily feed intake and weekly weights furnished the growth assay of the chicks, while their blood assessment was done at the termination of the study. Data analyzed showed T4 to have better (p < 0.05) final weights (2740.50 g), feed intake (131.39 g) and weight gain (48.13 g) than SMFM groups. Red blood cell count was highest (p < 0.05) in T2 and T3 (10.87 × 106 and 10.88 × 106 mm3, respectively) and lowly in T1 and T4 (10.04 × 106 mm3 each). Haemoglobin concentration was highest (p < 0.05) in T2 and T3 (8.73, 8.98 g dL–) and lowest in T4 (7.55 g dL–1). Treated birds had better (p < 0.05) serum cholesterol and lipoproteins than the control. Triglyceride of T4 (117.75 g dL–1) was different (p < 0.05) from T1 and T2 (107.00, 107.67 g dL–1) but similar (p > 0.05) to T3 (109.00 g dL–1). The SMFM varieties, mostly Nsukka Ind × Jos (T2), independently promoted superior haematology and serum lipid profile but poor growth of test broilers.