Journal of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Animal Sciences

Growth and Yield of Sorghum as Influenced by Population Density and Time of Introduction of Component Okra

2025-01-30T14:29:29+03:00

A field trial was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of Kwara State University, Malete and National Center for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) during 2021 cropping season to investigate the productivity and intercropping advantage as influenced by population density and time of introduction in sorghum/okra intercropping. Four Population densities of okra (100 %, 75 %, 50 %, and 25 %) were intercropped with full population of sorghum at same time (ST), two weeks before planting (2WBP) and two weeks after planting (2WAP). Sole sorghum and okra were included in the treatments as a check. The treatments were arranged as 3x6 factorial combinations in a randomized complete block in split plot and replicated three times. Regardless of population ratios, the yield of sorghum increased as the population density of component okra decreased and with delayed in the time of introduction. The lowest grain yield at the two locations were obtained where full population ratio of both crops were intercropped. Intercropping 25 % population of okra with full population of sorghum recorded the lowest fruit yield. Intercropping advantage as measured by land equivalent ratio (LER), land equivalent coefficient (LEC), and monetary advantage index (MAI) indices demonstrated intercropping advantage at all population ratios and time of introduction. The highest value N398, 200.08 was recorded at NCAM location at the population ratio 100S:100 OK and when sorghum was planted two weeks before okra. Planting sorghum two weeks before okra at full population of both crops is recommended for adoption in sorghum/okra intercropping

A Review of Open Grazing Practices and their Roles in the Epidemiology and Control of Intestinal Helminthiasis in Cattle in Nigeria

2025-08-13T15:10:30+03:00

Open grazing, a traditional cattle management practice, allows herders to guide cattle across open land, providing access to diverse forages, grasses, and legumes. However, this practice is linked to an increased risk of intestinal helminth infections, a persistent health challenge in regions reliant on open grazing. This narrative review synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed articles, reports, and relevant literature to explore the impact of open grazing on the epidemiology of intestinal helminths in cattle. It highlights current knowledge, challenges, and gaps, particularly regarding control measures, underscoring the need for targeted interventions to reduce helminth infections in cattle managed under open grazing systems.

Impact of Agricultural Financing on Economic Growth in Nigeria (1981 - 2023)

2025-06-12T15:22:44+03:00

Agronomic Performance of Mulch Materials and Mulching Rates on Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Rhizome Yield, Nutritional Quality and Nutrient Uptake in North Central Nigeria

2025-02-04T09:16:58+03:00

An experiment was carried out from June 2023 to February 2024 at the Biotechnology Advanced Research Centre Farm in Garki-Abuja to evaluate the effects of mulching rates and materials on a local turmeric variety. The 3x3 factorial experiment was set up using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and was carried out three times. Three mulching materials (rice husk, soybean straw and sawdust) and three mulching rates (0, 5 and 10 t/ha) made up the treatments. Protein, magnesium, calcium, iron, and manganese were among the nutritional attributes gathered. Calcium, manganese, iron, potassium, magnesium, and nitrogen were the elements concerned with nutrient absorption and potassium, respectively. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) were used to compare the significant means of the mineral contents and nutrient uptake.The findings showed that the best calcium content (107.97 mg/100 g) was obtained with a mulching rate of 10 t/ha, whereas the highest magnesium mineral content (33.49 mg 100 g) was created by sawdust mulch material. It is evident that soybean mulch material had the maximum potassium nutrient uptake (110.29 mg 100 g), whereas mulching at a rate of 5 t/ha produced the same nutrient uptake element (100.93 mg 100 g).In the turmeric farming communities in the study region, sawdust mulch material at a rate of 10 t/ha can be suggested for the generation of mineral contents and soybean mulch at a rate of 5 t/ha for nutrient uptake.

Climatization of The Greenhouses in Arid Climate Regions: A Case Study of Şanlıurfa

2025-06-12T15:23:37+03:00

In greenhouses, climate control is important for energy savings and the quality of the crop yield. At times when the average daily temperature is between 12 and 22 °C, the climate values desired by the plants can be maintained at the biological optimum by natural ventilation, one of the most cost-effective climate control methods. If the average daily temperature rises above 22 °C, climate control measures such as additional shading and evaporative cooling for greenhouse ventilation are essential. In this study, according to the TS 825 standards in Turkey, based on the long-term hourly climate data (temperature, solar radiation, humidity, and wind speed) of Şanlıurfa, the city with the highest value of cooling degree days. and using the energy balance and psychrometric equations, the temperature values required for the continuity of vegetative production in greenhouses with the air conditioning measures (ventilation, [ventilation + shading], and evaporative cooling) used in hot periods will be determined. Consequently, it was determined that the ambient temperature in the greenhouse can be maintaned at 27 ^oC until mid-May in large-volume greenhouses with 50% shading and 40% ventilation and that evaporative cooling is mandatory for production in the greenhouse after mid-May under the climatic conditions of Şanlıurfa, and that the temperature can be maintaned at 27 ^oC in July in the large-volume greenhouse with 80% pad efficiency.

Utilizing Data Mining Algorithms to Predict Body Weight in Nigerian Normal Feathered Local Chickens

2025-09-20T15:21:39+03:00

Goat Farming in the Context of Sustainable Livestock Systems: Food Security and Carbon Footprint

2025-09-04T11:35:49+03:00

In parallel with the growing global population, consumption of meat from ruminant animals like cattle is expected to increase by approximately 90% by 2050. This suggests that even if all non-food emissions, such as industrial and energy systems, are eliminated, emissions from food production systems alone are likely to increase global warming by over 1.5°C. This issue has been frequently discussed recently by groups specifically focusing on emissions from cattle. Turkey accounts for 1.3% of global emissions, both in terms of CO2 and overall greenhouse gases. This rate is low compared to major emitters such as China, the US, and India. The EU's "2030 Climate Target Plan" aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 and 55% by 2050, ultimately achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century. In this context, countries are turning to alternative animal protein sources with lower environmental impact. Given Turkey's geographical location and sociological structure, a departure from tradition is not anticipated in the short term. Therefore, studies suggest that goat farming, which reduces the economic and climatic burden of crop production and water use, may be preferable to ruminant species like cattle, which have a high environmental impact. This study evaluates the impact of goat farming on greenhouse gas emissions and its advantages and disadvantages.

Community Oriented Radio Program in Fostering Agricultural Development and Food Security in Agrarian Communities of Ogun State

2025-02-26T15:23:33+03:00

The 21st century has witnessed significant advancements in communication technology, reshaping the way societies interact and develop. Among these technologies, radio continues to hold a crucial position as one of the versatile tools for disseminating information and fostering agricultural development. This study examines radio as a tool of agricultural development in addressing food insecurity in Nigeria. The focus was to understand how Agricultural radio programs on Paramount FM 94.5, Abeokuta influence local farmers in Ogun state to be more productive for food security. This study was anchored on Development Media Theory. A sample size of 387 was drawn from the selected population of the study- Abeokuta North, Egbado North, Odeda, and Obafemi-Owode, all located within Ogun State. Utilizing a descriptive survey, with a questionnaire as our key instrument. The result revealed that 79.3% of the respondents had high exposure to agricultural programs. 77.8% were well-informed on agricultural development through radio, 93% benefitted from radio agriculture programs, and 91.2% confirmed that exposure to radio agricultural programs encourage collaboration among farmers for food security and agricultural progress. The study concludes that radio is a formidable instrument of agricultural education and orientation, capable of exposing farmers to modern farming practices to increase food production.

Effect of Planting Media Composition and Addition of Tempe Liquid Waste on Growth and Yield of Merang Mushrooms

2025-09-15T12:26:09+03:00

The production of merang mushrooms tends to decrease from year to year. Some factors that can cause a decrease in mushroom production are the planting media used that are less than optimal in the process of mushroom growth. Planting media from agricultural waste such as blotong and oil palm empty fruit bunch waste. Providing the appropriate planting media will be more optimal if supported by the provision of additional nutrients like tempeh liquid waste. The research was conducted in Mangaran village, Ajung District, Jember Regency, East Java from January to March 2025. The experiment was conducted factorially with the basic pattern of Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and repeated three times. Factor I is a variety of planting media composition consisting of 3 levels, namely J0 (100% straw), J1 (75% straw + 25% blotong), J2 (75% straw + 25% empty palm bunches). Factor II is the concentration of tempe liquid waste which consists of 3 levels, namely K0 (control), K1 (50% tempe liquid waste), K2 (100% tempe liquid waste). The variables observed were harvesting speed, fruit body diameter, number of fruit bodies per harvest, total number of fruit bodies, weight of fruit bodies per harvest, total weight of fruit bodies. The data obtained were analyzed using ANOVA. If there were significant differences among treatments. DMRT was conducted at the 5% level. The best results showed that the treatment combination of media composition of 75% straw + 25% oil palm empty fruit bunches and adding consentration 50% tempe liquid waste.

The Growth and Fresh Herbage Yield of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) as Influenced by Organic and Inorganic Fertilisers

2025-06-09T13:17:34+03:00

The coriander leaves are very popular green spiece in India. But little attention has been paid to opptimise proper manuring through organic sources for its profitable cultivation. Adequate supply of fertilizer to the coriander plant is first urgent need for short duration crop. To examine the best combination an experiment was conducted at Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Chandra Bhanu Gupta Agriculture PG College, Lucknow (U.P.) during the Rabi season of 2023-24, consisting seven treatments including T₁: control, T₂: 100% RDF (60:40:30 kg NPK/ha), T₃: Vermicompost @3 t/ha, T₄: FYM @10 t/ha, T₅: 50% RDF (30:20:15 kg NPK/ha) + Vermicompost @1.5 t/ha, T₆: 50% RDF (30:20:15 kg NPK/ha) + FYM @5 t/ha and T₇: Vermicompost @1.5 t/ha + FYM @5 t/ha. Treatments were plotted in Randomized Block Design with three replication. The highest growth, yield attributes and yield were significantly observed in the treatment of T₇(Vermicompost @ 1.5 t/ha + FYM @5 t/ha) viz., plant height (24.27cm), number of primary branches/plant (5.80), number of secondary branches/ plant (10.15), fresh weight (6.92 g) and fresh herbage yield per hectare (6463.33kg) was obtained in coriander at 45 days after sowing. Thus, it may be concluded that highest production of green leaves can be achieved by application of Vermicompost @ 1.5 t/ha + FYM @5 t/ha

AI Assisted Assessment of Türkiye Breed Diversity and In Situ Conservation in Sheep and Goats Using FAO Data (1983 2024)

2025-07-10T14:12:33+03:00

Understanding and conserving livestock biodiversity is essential for resilient agricultural systems and food security. This study presents an AI assisted analysis of global sheep and goat breed diversity using FAOs Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD IS) data spanning 1983 to 2024. Breed richness (number of distinct breeds), population dynamics and risk status were evaluated using ecological diversity indices including Shannon-Wiener Index, Simpson Index, Berger-Parker Index, Menhinick Index and Hill numbers. Results showed that sheep populations maintain higher diversity and more structured conservation coverage than goats. A clear positive correlation was observed between in situ conservation programs and population stability. Machine learning and Python-based libraries facilitated dynamic visualizations and pattern recognition. The findings highlight the importance of combining biodiversity metrics with artificial intelligence to improve livestock monitoring systems and inform future conservation strategies. Strengthening data continuity and expanding in situ programs remain crucial to securing genetic resources for future generations.

Diurnal Variations and Heat Stress: Physiological and Biochemical Resilience in White Fulani Cattle

2025-06-09T13:58:57+03:00

This study evaluated the effects of diurnal variations under heat stress conditions on physiological, biochemical and haematological parameters in White Fulani (Bunaji) cattle raised under semi-intensive system of management. Twenty (20) White Fulani cattle of mixed sexes were exposed to heat stress conditions with Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) and body temperature monitored both in the morning and afternoon. Blood samples were also collected to measure haematological, biochemical and antioxidant indices. The THI exceeded 80, indicating significant heat stress during both morning and afternoon periods. Elevated body temperatures were recorded in the muzzle, left ear, and neck, with significant differences (P < 0.05) between morning and afternoon readings. Biochemical indices showed elevated (but non-significant changes, suggesting physiological adaptation. Antioxidant and enzyme levels remained stable despite elevated heat stress. Haematological indices revealed a significant decrease in Red Blood Cell counts from morning to afternoon (P = 0.0001), while other parameters remained stable. Correlation analysis showed that temperatures at the left ear and neck significantly correlated with THI, indicating their sensitivity to heat stress. These findings highlight the resilience of White Fulani cattle's physiological and metabolic functions under prolonged heat stress conditions.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Treated Sacks in Pest Management among Grain Farmers in Kwara State, Nigeria

2025-09-15T13:32:21+03:00

Comprehensive Trends Analysis of Peste Des Petits Ruminants (PPR) Vaccination in Sheep and Goats: A Study in the Northern Region of Ghana

2025-01-27T13:30:20+03:00

Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is one of the most devastating diseases that affect small ruminants and is capable of causing approximately 90% mortality in affected animals, thus inflicting significant losses on the global livestock industry. The primary solution to mitigate the spread and impact of PPR is to ensure that animals receive PPR vaccine to develop active immunity against the disease. This study, therefore, aimed to analyze the trend of PPR vaccination in sheep and goats by utilizing vaccination data spanning from January 2017 to December 2022. The data was obtained from the Regional Veterinary Services office of the Northern Region of Ghana. The Seasonal Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model was employed for trend analysis and short-run forecasting of the monthly vaccination values for sheep and goats. The SARIMA model forecasts a fluctuating trend in the number of sheep and goats vaccinated in the region, revealing both upward and downward patterns. This indicates positive and negative impulses, with expectations of a decrease in monthly figures by December 2024. We recommend that, the Veterinary Service Directorate of the region have to intensify campaigns and education among farmers in order to encourage them to vaccinate their animals against PPR.

The Econometric Analysis of Beekeeping Production Dynamics in Türkiye: An ARIMA-Based Forecasting Model

2025-10-22T16:25:05+03:00

Comparison of In Vitro Gas Production, Organic Matter Digestion, Relative Feed Values and Metabolic Energy Contents of Some Forage Grasses

2025-09-15T14:14:19+03:00

This study was carried out to compare the in vitro gas production, organic matter digestibility, relative feed value and metabolic energy contents of wheat forage plants including tufted brome (Bromus tectorum), spike grass (Bromus hordeaceus), wild oat (Avena fatua), perennial rye (Mountain rye: Secale montanum), perennial rye (Lolium perenne), peacock grass (Agrostis sp), wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) and tuberous bunchgrass (Poa bulbosa) naturally growing in Siirt-Batman pastures. Rumen fluid used in the in vitro gas production technique was taken from 7-year-old Holstein breed sterile cattle. The obtained data were evaluated by one-way analysis of variance in SPSS 13.0 package program. The highest ether extract (EE), crude protein (HP) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) values and the lowest potential gas production amount (a + b) of the forage grass samples examined in the study were determined in peacock. Metabolic energy (ME) contents were determined as 8.54-6.58 MJ kg^-1 DM, net energy lactation (NE_L) contents as 4.61-3.60 MJ kg^-1 DM and organic matter digestibility (OMD) degrees were determined as 57.49-48.33%. The highest dry matter intake (DMI) and relative feed value (RFV) were determined in peacock forage grass. In conclusion, verification of the findings under field conditions and integration into national animal nutrition programs may support the sustainable use of regional forage resources and increasing livestock productivity. The research conducted in this context is a reference study that will make significant contributions not only to the regional but also to the national livestock sector.

Development of Drought Tolerant, Blast and Bacterial Leaf Blight Resistant Rice Improved Lines Through Marker-Assisted selection

2025-10-09T08:35:54+03:00

Rice is an important staple food crop and its yield could be influenced by biotic and abiotic conditions. The research was conducted to identify the polymorphic markers at the target region (parental survey) and were also used to select improved lines with multiple traits of resistance to diseases and drought tolerance. Three varieties were used, Putra-1 with high yielding & resistant to blast, MR219-PL-137 with tolerant to drought. IRBB60 had resistance to bacterial leaf blight (BLB) disease. They were crossed to a recipient parent (Putra-1). Three crossing methods (single, double and three-way) were utilized. Result shows primers indicated clear polymorphism among the three parents. The homozygous resistant plants similar to recipient parent in F2 were selected using the polymorphic and linked markers (RM6836, RM8225) and (RM520, RM511 and RM1261) for three-way cross and reciprocal, respectively, with MR219-PL-137 drought tolerant line as the recipient parent. Nine improved rice lines had high yield, blast, BLB disease resistance & drought tolerance traits. Two improved lines had blast resistance and drought tolerance traits (PD14, PD15), while seven had blast, bacteria leaf blight resistance and drought tolerance traits (PDB3, PBD1, PBD3, DPB7, DPB12, DPB13, DPB20).

Proximate, In-Vitro Digestibility, Cooking Characteristics and Acceptability of Defatted Sesame Seeds Flour Enriched Whole Wheat Pasta

2025-10-02T13:50:13+03:00

Defatted sesame seeds flour is an underexploited by-product of sesame seeds oil extraction which is usually discarded. It has high dietary fibre, protein and minerals which could be harnessed for pasta production in developing countries. The objective of the study was to prepare pasta from whole wheat and defatted sesame seeds and to assess the proximate, in-vitro digestibility, acceptability and cooking characteristics. Defatted sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) seed flour (DSS) was produced using n-hexane (1litre:500g). Pasta was produced from whole wheat flour substituted with defatted sesame seeds flour at 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 %. Standard methods of analysis was used to determine the proximate, in-vitro digestibility, cooking characteristics and acceptability of the pasta and the results were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Higher content of protein, crude fibre, ash and fat were observed with increase DSS substitution while the estimated glycaemic index and in-vitro protein digestibility ranged between 64.58 -70.69 and 67.69-80.06 %. The cooking characteristic were significantly (p<0.05) different. Sensory values indicated acceptability of up to 10 % substitution, above this, a decline in acceptability was observed. However, the acceptability of the pasta at DSS substitution of 5 % and control showed no significant difference. The consumption of pasta substituted with defatted sesame seeds can be considered a healthier option owing to the increase in the macro-nutrients, lower glycaemic index starch and higher protein digestibility

Keywords: Sesame seeds, sensory, whole-wheat flour, pasta, substitution

Predicting Crop Diseases with Machine Learning Methods and Computer Vision Techniques

2025-09-22T09:14:33+03:00

Crop disease and insect pests have posed a huge threat to world food security, and recent estimates place losses annually within the 20-40 percent range of crop production. Climate change exacerbates these challenges with regard to pest damage and increasing outbreaks of diseases. There is no alternative to employing traditional methods of detection and diagnosis in diseases. Machine learning and deep learning can be one of the solutions to the abovementioned problems. For example, accurate identification and prediction of diseases on plants can be carried out using complex models and algorithms such as CNNs and LSTM networks. In such a way, with these technologies, the occurrence can be detected early, and intervention at the right time for the subsequent informed decisions can result in better crop yield with minimal application of pesticides. This review goes into detail on the application of machine learning in agriculture. As far as things go with me, I have brought some potential regarding the revolutionization of agricultural industries. I would argue that such techniques also involve their advantages and disadvantages when it comes to data quality issues, issues related to computational complexity, and the requirement of multilevel collaboration and its applications. In this regard, I also focus on and describe the current models in use for plant disease identification, including ResNet, DenseNet, Inception, GoogleNet, MobileNet, and LSTM. Hence, agriculture's future depends increasingly on intelligent systems as well as data-driven decisions, as technology improves

Effects of Using Legume Flours and Different Gums on The Textural Properties of Gluten-Free Bread

2025-11-11T12:41:01+03:00

Molecular Estimation of Inbreeding Coefficient of Reared Nigerian Indigenous Goats

2025-07-28T13:55:33+03:00

Heat shock proteins (HSPs), also known as molecular chaperones, are key indicators of stress response in animals. These proteins are highly conserved and are expressed in response to environmental stress, aiding in cellular protection and adaptation. This study aimed to assess the heat stress adaptation ability of two Nigerian goat breeds West African Dwarf (WAD) and Red Sokoto (RS) by evaluating the expression of HSP70 and HSP90 genes. Specific primers were used to detect gene expression through PCR and RFLP techniques. Both HSP70 and HSP90 genes were expressed in the two breeds under heat stress conditions. Although the expression levels were similar, WAD goats showed slightly higher gene expression (Na = 1.62, I = 0.57) compared to RS goats (Na = 1.59, I = 0.55). Interestingly, this marginal increase in HSP gene expression in WAD goats did not translate to better adaptation. Instead, the findings suggest that RS goats are more effectively adapted to heat stress despite lower gene expression, implying more efficient stress response mechanisms. The HSP70 gene, in particular, appeared to play a major role in thermal protection, suggesting its potential as a biomarker for selecting heat-tolerant animals. Based on these observations, it is hypothesized that HSP70 and HSP90 genes could be linked to thermo-tolerance traits. Further studies are recommended to investigate their associations with adaptability, performance, and stress resilience in Nigerian goat breeds, especially under the challenging thermal conditions of tropical environments.

Trends and Growth Patterns of Rice, Wheat and Maize Production in Bangladesh, 2015-2023

2025-07-18T13:41:18+03:00

Prevalence and Spatial Epidemiology of Goats Respiratory System Disease and Its Association to Risk Factors in Darfur, Sudan, 2023: Short Communications

2025-06-20T13:39:31+03:00

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Livestock Owning Community on Tick Born Zoonosis and Parasite Control in District Okara, Punjab, Pakistan

2025-09-30T10:01:59+03:00

The aim of current study is to present the cross section of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of livestock farmers on tick bourn zoonosis, community led treatment and control of internal and external parasites in livestock. The study was conducted with a total of 72 respondents, mostly small holders including males and females through open ended survey questionnaire in tehsil Depalpur and Renala khurd in district Okara, Punjab, Pakistan. The overall knowledge of respondents was poor with regard to tick born zoonosis as majority of respondents could not name any specific disease spread by ticks across animals and humans.