International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences

Despite numerous published studies which focused on the toxicity of different chemicals on aquatic organisms, toxicity of silver nano particles seldom studied. Among the various aquatics, amphibians are good entrants for aquatic nanotoxicology since they have the potential of being bioindicators and also are of great importance for investigation of the pollution transference between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In different studies difference in toxicity was also seen due to change in the size time, age and condition of test organisms. Zebra fish is extensively studied model in the Ag-NPs toxicological studies. The toxicity indicators may include, drop in heart rate, hatching delay and higher mortality rate. Amphibians play both the role of prey and top predators in trophic chains based on their habitat and life stage.

Keywords: Amphibians, Nanotechnology, Carp, Zebra

Plants are frequently exposed to a plethora of stress conditions such as low temperature, salt, drought, flooding, heat, and oxidative stress. Various anthropogenic activities have accentuated the existing stress factors. All these stress factors prevent them from reaching their full genetic potential and limit the crop productivity. Susceptibility to high (heat injury inducing) or low (chill injury inducing) temperatures is known to be reduced by prior exposure of the sensitive fruit or vegetable to low ambient temperatures. One of the important and widely discussed aspects in abiotic stress tolerance is the regulatory roles of plant growth regulators (PGR). It would be considered logical to assume that effects of exposure to high light are difficult to dissociate from effects exposure to high temperatures. However, research has shown that low light (bagging of apples) in the preharvest interval reduced susceptibility of apples to developing superficial scald in cold storage.

Keywords: CO2, Tolerance, Temperature, Light, PGR

Describing climate change by the increase in average temperatures is inescapably useful, but at the same time often misleading. Increases in global average temperature of only a few degrees, comparable to normal month-to-month changes in many parts of the world, will have drastic and disruptive effects. Agriculture has always been dependent on the variability of the climate for the growing season and the state of the land at the start of the growing season. The key for adaptation for crop production to climate change is the predictability of the conditions. What is required is an understanding of the effect on the changing climate on land, water and temperature. Research on crop yields has received significant attention on a variety of scientific fronts. Plant and soil science research has provided an indication of the potential of the Canadian prairies to produce food and fibre with given conditions. Across the prairies, crops yields will vary. All crops in Manitoba may decrease by 1%, Alberta wheat, barley and canola may decrease by 7% and Saskatchewan wheat, barley and canola may increase by 2-8%.

Keywords: Yields, Temperature, Livestock, Water, Sustainability

Mulching is the process of covering the soil surface around the plants with an organic or synthetic material to create congenial condition for the plant growth, development and efficient production. Mulch is any material applied to the soil surface for protection or improvement of the covered area. Organic mulches have the advantage of being biodegradable, but decomposition may result in a temporary reduction in soil mineral nitrogen. In addition, the natural phytotoxins released when organic materials decompose may not only inhibit the growing of weeds but also the crop plants. mulch to regulate the temperature of soil by reducing the daily range and creating a more constant temperature suitable for root activity. The ability of organic mulches to regulate the soil temperature is closely correlated with its ability to reduce evaporative water loss.

Keywords: Soil temperature, Soil micro-flora, Soil water, Infiltration rate

Several erosion processes are known, the most important being erosion by rain water (water erosion), wind (`wind erosion’) and soil translocation by tillage (`tillage erosion’). All three damage the soil resource but only the first two additionally cause severe environmental problems because translocate soil leaves the arable area and enters neighboring ecosystems. Although water and wind erosion are different processes, they are governed by similar principles as far as land use is concerned. Soil surfaces destabilized by tillage and covered with little living or dead biomass are susceptible to erosive forces exerted by air or water. Erosion results in the degradation of a soil’s productivity in a number of ways: it reduces the efficiency of plant nutrient use, damages seedlings, decreases plants’ rooting depth, reduces the soil’s water-holding capacity, decreases its permeability, increases runoff, and reduces its infiltration rate.

Keywords: Erosion processes, Erosion Control, Sheet erosion, Gully erosion

Drought stress is one of the most important abiotic stress factors which are generally accompanied by heat stress in dry season. Water deficit stress due to drought, salinity or extremes in temperature is the main limiting factors for plant growth and productivity resulting in large economic losses in many regions of the world. Plants can partly protect themselves against mild drought stress by accumulating osmolytes. Proline is one of the most common compatible osmolytes in drought stressed plants. For example, the proline content increased under drought stress in pea. Drought tolerance is a cost-intensive phenomenon, as a considerable quantity of energy is spent to cope with it. The fraction of carbohydrate that is lost through respiration determines the overall metabolic efficiency of the plant. Decreasing water availability under drought generally results in limited total nutrient uptake and their diminished tissue concentrations in crop plants. An important effect of water deficit is on the acquisition of nutrients by the root and their transport to shoots.

Keywords: Antioxidation strategies, Glycine betaine, Nutrient relations, Stomatal conductance

Salt stress in soil or water is one of the major stresses especially in arid and semi-arid regions and can severely limit plant growth and productivity. According to the incapacity to grow on high salt medium, plants have been classified as glycophytes or halophytes. Most plants are glycophytes and cannot tolerate salt stress. Salt tolerance in higher plants is regulated by a number of different physiological and biochemical processes. There is evidence that high levels of salt cause an unbalance of the cellular ions leading in both ion toxicity and osmotic stress. The increased production of activated oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide (O2-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radical, and singlet oxygen in chloroplasts of plants under salt stress has been described. Polyols, the polyhydric alcohols, are among the compatible solutes involved in osmoregulation and are thought to play a role in plant salt tolerance.

Keywords: Anti-oxidant, Amino acids, Lipid content, Polyols, Photosynthesis

Drought stress is one of the most important abiotic stress factor which is generally accompanied by heat stress in dry season. Water deficit stress due to drought, salinity or extremes in temperature is the main limiting factors for plant growth and productivity resulting in large economic losses in many regions of the world. Medicinal plants are economically very important and an important source of business and economy are among the most important agricultural export products. Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is one of the most important medicinal plants that are cultivated worldwide and has many medicinal uses. Factors such as appropriate date of planting, planting methods, plant population, water and nutrient elements management and weed control affects the production of fennel.

Keywords: Fennel, Stress, Drought

Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops together in a single field. The main purpose of intercropping is to produce a greater yield on a given piece of land by making use of resources that would otherwise not be utilized by a single crop efficiently. Legume intercropping systems play a significant role in the efficient utilization of resources. Nowadays so many intercropping and the results of some studies also have shown that in the intercropping compared to monoculture to more effectively use resources and therefore decrease the amount of available resources for weed. Cereal – grain legume intercropping has potential to address the soil nutrient depletion on smallholder farms. The legumes play an important role in nitrogen fixation and are important source of nutrition for both humans and livestock. In the central highlands of Kenya, cereal – legume intercropping is already being widely practiced by the smallholder famers.

Keywords: Cereal, Legume, Yield advantage, Moisture

The present study was carried out to know the hatchability and profitability of ducklings production through rice husk incubator (RHI) among nine farmers of different groups (small, medium and large) in Sunamganj District of Bangladesh. The small, medium, and large farmer groups having the capacity to produce Day Old Ducklings (DODs) from 1500-2000 DODs, 2001-3000 DODs, and >3000 DODs per month respectively. Average fertility among small, medium, and large groups was 86.85±1.38, 83.7±2.06, and 85±1.10% respectively. Average hatchability among small, medium, and large groups was 66.20±2.49, 67.59±2.55, and 65.83±2.97% respectively. There was no effect of farmer groups on fertility and hatchability. Average embryonic death among small, medium and large groups was 24±3.12, 19.54±1.89, and 22.63±2.63% respectively. Average profitability among small, medium and large groups was 68.64±18.75, 71.5±11.3, and 29.66±12.6% respectively. Profitability was significantly higher in small and medium groups than large farmer group.

Keywords: Artificial incubation, Duck egg, Hatching

Microorganisms maintain a healthy soil by enhancing soil fertility in which other biota benefit from. The diversity of microorganisms in soil is enormous and they drive many soil services. These roles are highlighted in the cycling of major biological elements such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), in the recycling of wastes, and the detoxification of environmental pollutants. Microorganisms play a pivotal role in the cycling of nitrogen; they exclusively mediate nitrogen fixation, denitrification, and nitrification. They also play a role in the decomposition of organic matter, transformation of phosphorous, potassium and other secondary and micro nutrients which presence confers fertility of the soil. A fertile soil is judge by the amount of organic matter present and the volume of bacteria population in the soil. Apart from artificial fertilizer application to upgrade soil nutrients, a practice widely condemned by environmentalists, soil microorganisms are the major organizers of soil nutrients. This paper discusses soil nutrients and the role of microorganisms in the provisioning of fertile soil.

Keywords: Microorganism, Soil nutrients, Forest soil, Fertility, Environmental pollutants

Evaluating the impact of intensive grazing on the grasslands productivity is very important for assessment of the risk of deterioration of soils and rangelands. Quantification of carbon and nitrogen cycles is an important step towards of parameters of admissible anthropogenic load. Rational use of resource potential of a territory and elimination of ecological risk emerging as a result of intense anthropogenic impact is one of important aspects of the sustainable development of the region. The impact of grazing is simulated and it was demonstrated that steady state carbon and nitrogen were sensitive to grazing intensity. Modeling provides potential for testing hypotheses on rates of nutrient accumulation, litter decomposition and identify gaps in the soil processes presentation. Since models are applied to the systems with different intensity of grazing it became possible to estimate consequences of the land use, define local specific processes that could persist under specific regimes of farming.

Keywords: Grazing intensity impact, Carbon, Nitrogen, Dynamic models

A study was carried out to investigate the influence of tillage and some organic amendments on selected soil properties and yield of maize-cowpea intercrop in an Ultisol. A land area of 0.1125ha was planted to sole cowpea, sole maize and maize-cowpea intercrop using no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) with poultry droppings (PD), pig waste (PW), and cassava peels (CP) as amendments at the rates of 20, 90, 100t/ha respectively. The experimental design was split-split plot in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The same crops, treatments and replications were maintained for the two experimental years (2011 and 2012). Weed control was done manually at intervals. Data on crop phenology and growth were collected at eight weeks after planting. At the end of each planting year, the yield of both maize and cowpea were measured and soil samples collected at 0 – 30cm depth. Conventional tillage hastened the phenology and growth of the crops especially day to first podding, 50% podding and vine length for sole cowpea; 50% tasselling, dry weight and leaf area for sole maize. Conventional tillage with pig waste and poultry droppings significantly (P<0.05) affected organic carbon, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity (CEC), water stable aggregate (WSA), mean weight diameter (MWD), and aggregate stability and also caused significant increase in the yield of sole and intercropped maize and cowpea, however, the sole crops performed better than the intercrop.

Keywords: Sole crop, Intercrop, Crop phenology, Tillage, Organic amendments

In vitro evaluation of seed germination, seed infection and seedling vigour of groundnut seeds when tested at 30 mn ; 1hr and 1hr30 mn of duration at 0.05 ; 0.1 and 0.15 g/ml concentration of essential oil of Callistemon viminalis was assessed in Petri dishes. Varieties JL24, ICGV and Mechicha (local variety) collected from IRAD of Foumbot were used. At 1 hour, ICGV variety showed, 100 % germination and high vigour index (1732.) for seeds treated with 0.05 g/ml of essential oil. At the same time significant activity was also observed for JL24 variety with 100% of seed germination, very low seeds infected and vigour index around of 1375 for seeds treated with 0.15 g/ml of essential oil. At 1 hr 30 min of treatment, 0.15 g/ml showed high effect on seed germination and vigour index for Mechicha variety compared to positive and negative controls. Moderate activities were observed in 30 min of duration of treatment. It can be suggested that essential oil of Callistemon viminalis have antifungal effect and can be used to treat seed against seed borne pathogens of groundnut seeds, increase seed germination and vigour index.

Keywords: Groundnut seeds, Essential oil, Fungal infection, Seed germination, Plant vigour

Composite soil samples were taken at two depths (0-15cm and 15-30cm) from four different land use types (Gmelina forest land, cultivated land, Pasture land and Oil palm land) at the study area (Kogi State University). The samples collected were subjected to both physical and chemical analyses. Results indicated that the textural classes for all the land use types fell within loamy sand. Soil pH was moderately acidic and increased consistently with depth owing to increase in bases with increase in depth that could be attributed to the downward movement of solutes by leaching. In all land use types, organic carbon, organic matter, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and electrical conductivity decreases down the horizon such that values recorded for the depth of 0-15cm are slightly lower than that of 15-30cm depth. This could be due to increased clay and reduced organic matter content with increasing depth of the soil. Organic matter and total nitrogen were below their critical level owing to intense cultivation of the soils. The lowest organic carbon, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, percentage base saturation, exchangeable Mg2+ and Ca2+ were found under cultivated land whereas the highest values of the same parameters were found under Gmelina forestland. It was possible to conclude that soil physical and chemical properties vary among land use types. Different integrated land management should be practiced on different land use types to overcome land degradation and by carrying out protective measures such as tree plantation, organic matter application and cover cropping.

Keywords: Gmelina, Pasture, Loamy sand, Land use types