World Journal of Agricultural Research

Information theory methods were used to process extensive test data on the content of chemical elements in wheat and tomato plant organs obtained during their year-round and intensive cultivation on initially abiogenic mineral crushed stone (granite and zeolite). The directions of information flows related to redistribution chemical elements (Ca, K, P, S, Na, Si, Al, Fe, Zn, Mn, Mg, and Cl) between plant organs were revealed. Cause-and-effect relations in the dynamics of heterogeneity of chemical elements in plant organs under condition of primary soil formation were established. It is demonstrated that the total state of the chemical elements that determined by the integral indicator – information function – is differentiated for various plant organs. A cause-and-effect relation between the composition of organic matter of the root-inhabited environment and the elemental chemical composition of plant organs (root, stem, leaf and fruit, grain) is established by the method of information theory.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2013, 1(1), 18-24. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-1-1-5
Pub. Date: May 02, 2013

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An Assessment of Cassava Processing Plants in Irepodun Local Government Areas, Kwara State, Nigeria

by T.A. Adekanye, S.I Ogunjimi and A. O. Ajala

Original Research

An assessment of cassava processing plant was conducted in Irepodun local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria to evaluate different cassava processing machinery being used by the processors, the common machines, and costs of machines, type of prime movers and sex of machine operators. The study was carried out in five communities and five cassava processing centres were selected from each of the community to give a total of twenty–five processing centres. Many of the processing centres were owned by private individuals. 292 cassava processing machines were observed altogether during the study and most of these were obsolete equipment. Grating machine, dewatering machine and milling machines were more prominent in the Local Government. The diesel engine was the only prime mover in all visited centres. Cassava processors preferred diesel despite its high cost, this may be as a result of incessant petrol scarcity and constant absence of electricity supply from Power Holding Company of Nigeria. This assessment showed that inappropriate and unaffordable cassava processing machinery is responsible for low level of cassava processing and utilization in Nigeria which is the largest cassava producer.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2013, 1(1), 14-17. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-1-1-4
Pub. Date: April 27, 2013

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Assessment of Diode Laser Pretreatments on Germination and Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)Under Salinity Stress

by Leila Ferdosizadeh, Seyed Ahmad Sadat-Noori, Naeemeh Zare and Saiedeh Saghafi

Original Research

The results of the effect of laser radiation on germination and yield of wheat under NaCl concentrations (i.e., 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl) are reported in irrigated water Final Germination Percentage, Mean Time for Germination, Mean Daily Germination, Daily Germination Speed and Yield were determined for Two diode\lasers, emitting 660nm semi-coherent red beam and 980nm infrared beam, and one second harmonics of Neodymium-Yttrium-Aluminum Garnet (Nd:YAG) laser emitting 532nm were chosen as illumination sources. The seeds of wheat were irradiated for 12 minutes. The standard germination test and yield improved significantly by increasing the intensity dose of laser irradiation. All different types of evaluated laser radiation (Red, Infra-Red and Nd:YAG lasers) improved standard germination test and yield considerably compared to control samples. Results showed that the best efficiency was related to Nd:YAG laser with two times illumination. Consequently, application of semi-coherent laser radiation, as a pretreatment, can significantly enhance the resistance of wheat to salinity stress comparing to the controlled samples.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2013, 1(1), 5-9. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-1-1-2
Pub. Date: March 24, 2013

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Similar Shell Features between Rear and Wild Cornu aspersum Snails

by Panagiotis Berillis, Marianthi Hatziioannou, Nikos Panagiotopoulos and Christos Neofitou

Original Research

Body weight, shell’s diameter, shell’s’ thickness, shell’s mechanical strength and chemical composition of the hypostracum of reared and wild snails (Cornu aspersum) were analyzed. Wild adult individuals were collected from Crete (Greece) and compared with adult individual snails reared under laboratory conditions. Α standard layer diet supplemented with 20% calcium was used as snails’ diet. An EDS (Energy Dispersive Spectrometry) method was used for the analysis of the hypostracum. The EDS analysis was made by the use of a scanning electron microscope. Calcium, oxygen, carbon and silicon were the chemical elements that they were detected at the C. aspersum hypostracum. No statistical difference was recorded between the chemical elements of the hypostracum of reared snails and of the wild ones. Both groups had similar body weight, shell mechanical strength and shell thickness.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2013, 1(1), 1-4. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-1-1-1
Pub. Date: April 06, 2013

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Overview of the Trend of Climate Change and Its Effects on Cocoa Production in Nigeria

by K.A. Oluyole, L.A. Emaku, E.O. Aigbekaen and O.O Oduwole

Original Research

In the recent time, the issue of climatic change and its resultant effect on mankind has become a global phenomenon. This study found it quite imperative to examine the trend at which the changes take place and the implication of the changes on cocoa output. Data on climatic elements such as rainfall, temperature, humidity as well as cocoa output were collected. The data were analysed with descriptive statistics, regression analysis and correlation analysis. The heaviest rainfall was recorded between 1990-1994 while the highest temperature was recorded between 1995-1999. There was a sharp decrease in rainfall and sharp increase in temperature between 1995-1999. Between the period 1980-1994, rainfall kept on increasing while temperature kept on decreasing during the same period. There was a sharp decrease in humidity between 1980-1989. The result of regression analysis shows that rainfall and humidity significantly affected cocoa output while temperature did not. There was a significant correlation between cocoa output and rainfall as well as cocoa output and humidity. The study however recommended that in as much that rainfall significantly affected cocoa output, irrigation facility should be provided to make water available especially during the dry season. This will make water to always be available year round and this will boost cocoa production.

World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2013, 1(1), 10-13. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-1-1-3
Pub. Date: April 26, 2013

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