by Chioma Gibson O., Akinsoyinu Akintunde O., Tayo Grace O, Akinboye Olufunso E., Afodu Osagie J., Ndubuisi-Ogbonna Lois C. and Ogbonnaya Faith C.
Original Research
The study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding graded levels of Cymbopogon citratus leaf meal (CcLM) at 0,0.01,0.1, and 0.2 % respectively on the sensory and biochemical parameters of 120 broiler chickens. The diet was isocaloric and isonitrogenous and the study lasted for 56 days after which data on organoleptic and biochemical parameters were collected and evaluated using a completely randomized design. Results showed that the serum glucose level, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and total protein (TP) were significant (p<0.05). Serum evaluation was done using nine panelists. Bite of different portions of broiler meat samples weighing 10g were served at room temperature. Responses from the panelist were obtained using the hedonic scale of ranking. Results showed that broilers raised with diet D (0.2 % CcLM) did not adversely influenced colour, texture, odour and acceptability for consumers. The study revealed that inclusion of CcLM in broiler chicken diet, does not have any deleterious effect on the serum biochemistry and organoleptic parameters of broiler chicken.
World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2017, 5(6), 305-309. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-5-6-4
Pub. Date: December 08, 2017
10109 Views2790 Downloads
by Salau SA, Yusuf OJ, Apata DF and Adesina OM
Original Research
Hunting of grass cutter for food in Nigeria is unsustainable due to serious challenges posed to the ecosystems, adequate bush meat supply and human health. To enhance sustainable exploitation, grass cutter farming is desirable but large percentage of the population still lack awareness about grass cutter rearing. This study was aimed at investigating factors influencing awareness about grass cutter farming in Kwara state. A two–stage sampling technique was used to select 540 participants from rural and sub-urban households for the study. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the respondents had an average age of 46 years with an average family size of 7 persons. Majority (77%) of the respondents were males. The Nagelkerke R2, explained 80.9% of the total variation in awareness of households. The coefficient of age, gender, household size, education, and access to credit with the t-values of -2.333, 1.959, 2.000, 2.235 and 13.832 respectively were all found to be critical in explaining awareness among the sampled households. Based on the findings of this study, it was recommended that any intervention strategy on grass cutter farming by government and international development agencies should have a capacity-building component center on educating households about the management practices and livelihood merits of farm grass cutters. Increase awareness through media should be promoted and policies like loan schemes that would substantially improve households’ access to use and acquisition of credits should be encouraged.
World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2017, 5(6), 299-304. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-5-6-3
Pub. Date: December 08, 2017
8485 Views2367 Downloads
by Nwanosike M. R. O. and Mabagala R. B.
Original Research
Morphological characteristics of twenty five isolates of E. turcicumcollected from Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Morogoro, Iringa, Njombe and Mbeya Regions in Tanzania were studied in four solid media namely; V8 vegetable juice agar, malt extract agar, maize leaf extract agar and potato dextrose agar. The experiment was conducted twice and replicated three times (3 replicate × 25 isolates × 4 media) for each medium, making a total of 300 plates. The inoculated cultures were arranged in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) and incubated at 25±1°C. The statistically significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in colony growth, conidia germination, dry mycelial weight and rate of sporulation on the four solid media indicated the possibility of different strains of E. turcicum in the studied areas. However, colony growth was aggressive in V8 juice agar (5.7 cm) but conidia germination and rate of sporulation were high in malt extract agar. No isolate of E. turcicumgerminated or sporulated on PDA. Isolates such as KHK10, KHK18, KHN17, KHN3, KMM18 (Kilimanjaro Region), MMU13and MRI4 (Mbeya Region), INM8(Iringa Region) and MMM18 from Morogoro Region significantly yielded more colony growth, conidial germination, sporulation and dry mycelia compared to the other isolates. Molecular studies are needed to confirm the genetic variations amongst the isolates for sustainable maize breeding in Morogoro, Tanzania.
World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2017, 5(6), 292-298. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-5-6-2
Pub. Date: November 25, 2017
10853 Views2833 Downloads
by Kibe A.M, Kirui K. R, Wagara I. N and Thagana M. W.
Original Research
Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is a soil and seed borne disease affecting chickpea (Cicer arietinum). It is widely distributed where chickpea is grown and it causes variable yield losses depending on the level of resistance of the genotype and suitability of environmental conditions for disease development. Thiram and carbendazim fungicides are used in most crops as seed dress fungicides against a wide variety of pathogens. The impact of the 0%, 50%, 100% and 150% of the recommended 1.5g fungicide/kg seed rates of these two fungicides on plant height, periodic dry matter and number of pods and grain yield of chickpea was evaluated in the field in a split plot design. Two varieties, Chania 1 which is moderately resistant and Chania 2 which is highly susceptible were grown. Plant height, dry matter and pods per plant were significantly higher in Chania 1 moderately resistant variety and when grown under increasing rates of fungicide application. Increasing fungicide application rates significantly increased grain yield of chickpea. The highest Grain yield of 1.4 t/ha was obtained from 150% (2.25g/kg seed) application of either thiram or carbendazim for MR Chania 1 was grown and treated with either thiram or carbendazim at 150% rate of application. Farmers should grow Chania 1 chickpea variety to minimize use of fungicide application rates to range within 1.5 to 2.25 g fungicide/kg seed and obtain high chickpea growth; yield attributes and grain yields ranging between 1.32 to 1.4 t/ha, respectively.
World Journal of Agricultural Research. 2017, 5(6), 284-291. DOI: 10.12691/wjar-5-6-1
Pub. Date: November 07, 2017
11436 Views2476 Downloads