Introduction M ango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most produced horticultural fruit crops i... more Introduction M ango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most produced horticultural fruit crops in the Sub-Saharan Africa region (SSA) with both economic and nutritional values. However, the production potential is yet to be fully realized due to constraints such as soil infertility, drought, diseases (e.g. powdery mildew and anthracnose), insect pests (e.g. thrips, fruit fly, termites, thrips, mango seed weevil, white mango scale), and poor agronomic practices (
Africa Journal of Physical Sciences ISSN: 2313-3317, Jun 30, 2021
Pyrethrins are organic compounds derived from the flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium for th... more Pyrethrins are organic compounds derived from the flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium for their insecticidal activities. Pyrethrins I and Pyrethrins II are the two main classes in which Pyrethrins are grouped. The two groups are composed of six organic compounds namely pyrethrin I, jasmolin I, cinerin I, pyrethrin II, jasmolin II and cinerin II. The compounds are degradable on exposure to direct sunlight, moisture and temperatures. Pyrethrins are used as a broad spectrum natural insecticide in agriculture and public health. The aim of this research was to establish the differential total extractable pyrethrins content on drying flowers in direct sunlight and in darkness. Mature pyrethrum flowers from experimental farm, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Kabete campus, University of Nairobi, were harvested in brown paper bags, divided into four sets and taken to the laboratory. The first set of flowers were dried in direct sunlight for two weeks and the second set to a constant weight at a temperature of between 16-29 O C. The third set were dried in darkness for two weeks and the fourth set to a constant weight at room temperature. Drying was done between 3 rd-17 th of August 2019. The dried flowers were then ground into fine powder and extracted using Soxhlet extraction method with hexane. The extracts were refined and analyzed by titrimetric method. Pyrethrum flowers were found to achieve maximum moisture loss at varying times depending with the dying method used. The yield of pyrethrins obtained on drying the flowers to constant weight in direct sunlight was 1.02% while in darkness was 1.38%. The percentage of pyrethrins obtained from flowers dried in direct sunlight for two weeks was 0.86 and 1.01 in darkness. Moisture level for the flowers dried to a constant weight was 9%. The pyrethrins I:II ratio was found to vary for the two drying methods used. The best condition to dry the pyrethrum flowers was found to be in darkness to a moisture content of 9%.
Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science, 2021
Potato productivity has stagnated and remained low due to, among other causes, increasing soil in... more Potato productivity has stagnated and remained low due to, among other causes, increasing soil infertility and poor nutrient management strategies. To avert this situation, it is essential to have a better understanding of potato response to nitrogen and potassium nutrients. Like other crops, potatoes require an adequate and balanced supply of nutrients for better growth and tuber yields. To achieve that, it is essential to conduct an extensive soil analyses for the entire farm. However, this process is expensive for most resource-constrained farmers. Moreover, the current recommendations used in the region are generic and focuses more on nitrogen than potassium. Hence, there is a need to focus on readily and freely available information for enhanced decision making. The assumption that the soils in the region are fertile and can supply adequate potassium is no longer valid, and now necessitates more actions such as adopting integrated soil fertility and precise application of nutri...
Declining soil fertility is one of the main causes of low yields of maize. Farmers apply low rate... more Declining soil fertility is one of the main causes of low yields of maize. Farmers apply low rates of unbalanced nutrients leading to further nutrient mining. A randomized complete block nutrient omission trial with six replications was therefore set to determine maize response to the application of a wide range of nutrients from inorganic fertilizers on Ferralsols. The treatments were NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK + CaMgZnBS. The results showed that application of PK fertilizer resulted in low crop growth rate (CGR), and relative growth rate (RGR), and biomass compared to other treatments. Application of a wider range of nutrients (NPK + CaMgZnBS treatment) improved maize growth and yield compared to other treatments. In terms of grain response, Urea application recorded the highest yield (1800 kg/ha) followed by Triple Superphosphate (1300 kg/ha) then Muriate of potash (1100 kg/ha) and least by a combined application of secondary nutrients and micronutrients (ZnBMgCaS = 400 kg/ha). Hig...
To mitigate low maize productivity, improve on-farm planning and policy implementation, the right... more To mitigate low maize productivity, improve on-farm planning and policy implementation, the right fertilizer combinations and yield forecasting should be prioritized. Therefore, this research aimed at assessing the effect of applying different nutrient combinations on maize growth and yield and in-season grain yield prediction from biomass and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) readings. The research was done in Embu and Kirinyaga counties, in Central Kenya. Nutrient combinations tested were P+K, N+K, N+P, N+P+K, and N+P+K+Ca+Mg+Zn+B+S. The results showed consistently lowest and highest NDVI reading, dry biomass, and grain yields due to P+K and N+P+K+Ca+Mg+Zn+B+S treatments, respectively. Positive NDVI responses of 56%, 14%, 15%, and 15% were recorded with N, P, K, and combined Ca+Mg+Zn+B+S, respectively. These nutrients, in the same order, recorded 54%, 20%, 8%, and 18% positive responses with biomass. The GreenSeeker NDVI reading with grain yield and aboveground dry bio...
Soybean is an important crop with nutrition, economic and soil fertility improvement benefits to ... more Soybean is an important crop with nutrition, economic and soil fertility improvement benefits to farmers. However, its production in western Kenya is partly constrained by low soil pH and soil fertility levels. A greenhouse pot study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inorganic fertilizers, farmyard manure and lime application on soil pH, nutrient uptake, growth and nodulation of soybean grown in acidic soils from western Kenya. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with eight treatments: control; NPK; manure; lime; manure+lime; NPK+manure; NPK+lime and manure+lime+NPK. Significant effects of inorganic fertilizers, manure and lime applications were observed on all the variables. Manure, lime and manure+lime treatments increased soil pH by 1.33, 2.19 and 2.28, respectively, above the control treatment. The shoot N was lower under control (1.71-1.81%), NPK (1.85-1.98%) and manure (2.00-2.11%) than under all other treatments. Treatments NPK+lime and manu...
Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 2020
The trials were set up in Busia, Embu and Kirinyaga Counties to assess the effect of tillage meth... more The trials were set up in Busia, Embu and Kirinyaga Counties to assess the effect of tillage methods and application of different fertilizer combinations on maize productivity in the lower and upper midland agro-ecological zones of Kenya. Tillage methods were no-tillage (NT) with crop residue retention as mulch (+CR) (NT+CR) and conventional tillage (CT) without crop residue retention on farm surface (-CR) (CT-CR) while fertilizer combinations were NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK+CaMgZnBS. The N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, B and S nutrients were applied at the rates of 120, 40, 40, 10, 10, 5 and 26.3 kg ha-1, respectively. The trials were laid in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement and replicated three times. The results showed that maize leaf area index, plant height, aboveground biomass, crop growth rate, and grain yield were significantly higher under CT-CR than under NT+CR in most of the sites. The CT-CR system out-yielded NT+CR system by 0.3 t ha-1 and 0.6 t ha-1 m...
Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 2020
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production is constrained majorly by drought and low soil fer... more Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production is constrained majorly by drought and low soil fertility in Kenya. These limitations have never been adequately approached due to financial challenges and lack of better technology. A study was carried out in Kirinyaga and Embu Counties to evaluate the effects of tillage method and residual fertilizers on yield performance of dry bean. Dry bean was grown in the short rains season on plots preceded by fertilized maize (Zea mays L.) grown in the long rains season. The trials were laid out in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement. The tillage methods, NT+CR and CT-CR, where NT: No-tillage, CT: Conventional tillage, and CR: Crop residue, were assigned the main plot and residual fertilizers (NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK+CaMgZnBS) the subplots. The results showed that there was 35% and 46% more water retention under NT+CR than under CT-CR system in Embu and Kirinyaga sites, respectively. NT+CR produced higher biomass, m...
Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research, 2020
Orange production provides both nutritional and financial benefits to farmers across Africa. Howe... more Orange production provides both nutritional and financial benefits to farmers across Africa. However, these farmers do not realize the full benefits due to low yields caused by poor agronomic practices currently applied in the region. This guide, therefore, highlights key practices that farmers need to adopt for better yields. Farmers should always follow the best practices right from the selection of a variety to harvesting practices for high yield and better quality fruits to be achieved. Proper land preparation helps in early weed control and improves water infiltration and growth of roots. Weeds should always be kept below economic thresholds to ensure efficiencies in the use of water and nutrient. Like other plants, oranges require proper nutrition for growth and development of big fruits. Both manure and inorganic fertilizers should be applied depending on the availability and cost. Soil analysis helps in determining the rates of application. During production, farmers should ...
Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 2019
Maize and dry bean are the most important food crops that feed over 85% of Kenyan households. How... more Maize and dry bean are the most important food crops that feed over 85% of Kenyan households. However, the productivity of these crops is low due to the high costs of land preparation and weed control, soil infertility and limited soil moisture under the current conventional tillage system of production. A study was carried in Embu County and Kirinyaga County to determine the economic returns of a maize-bean rotation system under different tillage systems and fertilizer regimes. Maize was produced during the long rains under no-till with crop residue retention (NT+CR) and conventional tillage with no crop residue retention (CT-CR) and inorganic fertilizer regimes (NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK+CaMgZnBS). Dry bean was planted in the short rains in the same plots where maize under different nutrient management regimes and tillage systems had been grown and harvested. The trial was laid out in a split-plot design with the tillage method as the main plot and fertilizer as sub-plot. Economic ...
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2019
Sugarcane is an important commercial crop for rural farmers in sub-Sahara Africa. To increase its... more Sugarcane is an important commercial crop for rural farmers in sub-Sahara Africa. To increase its productivity, farmers need to adopt better agronomic practices at all cane production stages. Proper and timely monitoring of pests and diseases must be done for early detection and control. This work therefore highlights key practices aimed at improving sugarcane production in Sub-Sahara Africa. For sustainable management of pests and diseases, farmers should adopt the use of resistant varieties such as D8484 and KEN 83-737 and environmentally friendly practices such as crop rotation, intercropping and use of less toxic pesticides that enable proliferation of natural enemies. A part from competition with sugarcane for key growth requirements such as light, space, nutrients, and water, weeds act as alternate hosts for major sugarcane pests and diseases hence timely and proper control should be put in place. Healthy sugarcane plants resist better the impacts of pests and diseases and must be maintained through a balanced application of adequate fertilizers and water during growth periods. Storage of harvested canes results in yield reduction. Therefore, harvesting of sugarcane should be done when millers are ready to pick the canes.
Maize production is affected by numerous biotic and abiotic related challenges in East Champaran ... more Maize production is affected by numerous biotic and abiotic related challenges in East Champaran District, Bihar State, India. The damages caused by these challenges are influenced by the season; high prevalence during Kharif season compared to Rabi season. The solution to these constraints calls for enhanced research-extension-farmer linkages to ensure better development and dissemination of technologies for adoption. Among these constraints, research should target developing varieties that are tolerant to water-stress, fall armyworm, stalk borer and aflatoxin attacks; and better site-specific soil infertility management. Besides, solutions to technical challenges like inappropriate maize spacing, poor and untimely weed control, use of local maize cultivars, poor storage methods, are already available and could effectively be managed through the use of extension agents to train and diffuse them among farmers.
Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International, 2018
Effective termite management strategies should involve at least one of the following: o Provisi... more Effective termite management strategies should involve at least one of the following: o Provision of adequate food to deter termites from attacking crops. o Enhancing multiplication and proliferation of natural enemies (e.g. nematodes, fungus, bacteria, virus, ants, frogs, beetles and spiders). o Reduce vulnerability of crops through improved crop nutrition and water supply for vigorous growth. o Integration of termite-repelling crops and plants in the farms. o Killing of termites e.g. use of termicide, physical destruction of the mound, killing of the queen. In areas regularly affected by termites, scouting and control should be incorporated as regular components of seasonal crop production trainings. Particular emphasis should be given to non-chemical practices which have significant cobenefits such as enhanced soil health. Effective and long-lasting control is based on combination of chemical and non-chemical practices-dig out mounds, kill the queen then spray with termicide. For fields which experience
Due to increasing popularity and use of agro-chemicals to control pests and diseases on fields, a... more Due to increasing popularity and use of agro-chemicals to control pests and diseases on fields, applicators of these pesticides, consumers of agricultural products and other living organisms are exposed to the dangers of these chemicals if not used properly. To mitigate these dangers and general environmental pollutions, farmers need to be trained on the dos and don’ts that ensure safer usage and increased efficacy. Key protection measures like use of right spraying equipment and wearing personal protective equipment such as waterproof apron, rubber gloves, gumboots, and breathing masks should be adhered to. Farmers should be reminded to read and follow properly the product labels provided before handling any chemical. In the case of using pesticide tank mixes, care must be taken to ensure that individual chemicals are miscible and never react to each other. The information on using tank mixes could be found from the product labels, approved and certified agro-dealers or agricultura...
Potato viruses are one of the major biotic factors causing high yield losses in potato production... more Potato viruses are one of the major biotic factors causing high yield losses in potato production fields. In contrast to other disease causing pathogens, potato viruses’ lack well documented chemical control strategy and hence difficult to control once established in the field. The aim of the study was to assess the reaction of different potato genotypes to natural virus infection in the field. The present study was carried out on 12 potato genotypes (7 CIP clones and 5 commercial varieties) at the Field Station of the University of Nairobi, Upper Kabete campus Kenya in two potato growth seasons. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) of 4 replications was adopted with 12 treatments. Data was collected on percent crop emergence, disease incidence, growth and yield performance. At the end of season 2, tubers were sampled randomly per genotype and tested for presence of viruses using CIP DAS-ELISA kit. Analysis of variance on different parameters revealed varied response of each ge...
Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research, 2019
Coffee is one of the most popular cash crops grown in Tanzania. However, its productivity has rem... more Coffee is one of the most popular cash crops grown in Tanzania. However, its productivity has remained low due to various biotic, abiotic and socio-economic factors prevailing in Mbeya Region. These production challenges have never been properly and intensively documented for better decision making. Therefore, this study was set to assess and provide a better understanding of the current production situation and available technologies and practices for enhancing coffee production in the region. The research was carried out in Iwindi, Msia and Lwati villages located in Mbeya Region. Two sources of data were used; (a) primary data collected through focus group discussion; and (b) secondary data collected through a systematic and intensive process that involved searching and collecting relevant publications. From the research, farmers were found to grow very old trees that were more than 20 years. The soils were found to have low levels of nutrients and organic matter. Soils are also a...
Introduction M ango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most produced horticultural fruit crops i... more Introduction M ango (Mangifera indica L.) is one of the most produced horticultural fruit crops in the Sub-Saharan Africa region (SSA) with both economic and nutritional values. However, the production potential is yet to be fully realized due to constraints such as soil infertility, drought, diseases (e.g. powdery mildew and anthracnose), insect pests (e.g. thrips, fruit fly, termites, thrips, mango seed weevil, white mango scale), and poor agronomic practices (
Africa Journal of Physical Sciences ISSN: 2313-3317, Jun 30, 2021
Pyrethrins are organic compounds derived from the flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium for th... more Pyrethrins are organic compounds derived from the flowers of Chrysanthemum cinerariifolium for their insecticidal activities. Pyrethrins I and Pyrethrins II are the two main classes in which Pyrethrins are grouped. The two groups are composed of six organic compounds namely pyrethrin I, jasmolin I, cinerin I, pyrethrin II, jasmolin II and cinerin II. The compounds are degradable on exposure to direct sunlight, moisture and temperatures. Pyrethrins are used as a broad spectrum natural insecticide in agriculture and public health. The aim of this research was to establish the differential total extractable pyrethrins content on drying flowers in direct sunlight and in darkness. Mature pyrethrum flowers from experimental farm, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Kabete campus, University of Nairobi, were harvested in brown paper bags, divided into four sets and taken to the laboratory. The first set of flowers were dried in direct sunlight for two weeks and the second set to a constant weight at a temperature of between 16-29 O C. The third set were dried in darkness for two weeks and the fourth set to a constant weight at room temperature. Drying was done between 3 rd-17 th of August 2019. The dried flowers were then ground into fine powder and extracted using Soxhlet extraction method with hexane. The extracts were refined and analyzed by titrimetric method. Pyrethrum flowers were found to achieve maximum moisture loss at varying times depending with the dying method used. The yield of pyrethrins obtained on drying the flowers to constant weight in direct sunlight was 1.02% while in darkness was 1.38%. The percentage of pyrethrins obtained from flowers dried in direct sunlight for two weeks was 0.86 and 1.01 in darkness. Moisture level for the flowers dried to a constant weight was 9%. The pyrethrins I:II ratio was found to vary for the two drying methods used. The best condition to dry the pyrethrum flowers was found to be in darkness to a moisture content of 9%.
Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science, 2021
Potato productivity has stagnated and remained low due to, among other causes, increasing soil in... more Potato productivity has stagnated and remained low due to, among other causes, increasing soil infertility and poor nutrient management strategies. To avert this situation, it is essential to have a better understanding of potato response to nitrogen and potassium nutrients. Like other crops, potatoes require an adequate and balanced supply of nutrients for better growth and tuber yields. To achieve that, it is essential to conduct an extensive soil analyses for the entire farm. However, this process is expensive for most resource-constrained farmers. Moreover, the current recommendations used in the region are generic and focuses more on nitrogen than potassium. Hence, there is a need to focus on readily and freely available information for enhanced decision making. The assumption that the soils in the region are fertile and can supply adequate potassium is no longer valid, and now necessitates more actions such as adopting integrated soil fertility and precise application of nutri...
Declining soil fertility is one of the main causes of low yields of maize. Farmers apply low rate... more Declining soil fertility is one of the main causes of low yields of maize. Farmers apply low rates of unbalanced nutrients leading to further nutrient mining. A randomized complete block nutrient omission trial with six replications was therefore set to determine maize response to the application of a wide range of nutrients from inorganic fertilizers on Ferralsols. The treatments were NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK + CaMgZnBS. The results showed that application of PK fertilizer resulted in low crop growth rate (CGR), and relative growth rate (RGR), and biomass compared to other treatments. Application of a wider range of nutrients (NPK + CaMgZnBS treatment) improved maize growth and yield compared to other treatments. In terms of grain response, Urea application recorded the highest yield (1800 kg/ha) followed by Triple Superphosphate (1300 kg/ha) then Muriate of potash (1100 kg/ha) and least by a combined application of secondary nutrients and micronutrients (ZnBMgCaS = 400 kg/ha). Hig...
To mitigate low maize productivity, improve on-farm planning and policy implementation, the right... more To mitigate low maize productivity, improve on-farm planning and policy implementation, the right fertilizer combinations and yield forecasting should be prioritized. Therefore, this research aimed at assessing the effect of applying different nutrient combinations on maize growth and yield and in-season grain yield prediction from biomass and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) readings. The research was done in Embu and Kirinyaga counties, in Central Kenya. Nutrient combinations tested were P+K, N+K, N+P, N+P+K, and N+P+K+Ca+Mg+Zn+B+S. The results showed consistently lowest and highest NDVI reading, dry biomass, and grain yields due to P+K and N+P+K+Ca+Mg+Zn+B+S treatments, respectively. Positive NDVI responses of 56%, 14%, 15%, and 15% were recorded with N, P, K, and combined Ca+Mg+Zn+B+S, respectively. These nutrients, in the same order, recorded 54%, 20%, 8%, and 18% positive responses with biomass. The GreenSeeker NDVI reading with grain yield and aboveground dry bio...
Soybean is an important crop with nutrition, economic and soil fertility improvement benefits to ... more Soybean is an important crop with nutrition, economic and soil fertility improvement benefits to farmers. However, its production in western Kenya is partly constrained by low soil pH and soil fertility levels. A greenhouse pot study was conducted to evaluate the effects of inorganic fertilizers, farmyard manure and lime application on soil pH, nutrient uptake, growth and nodulation of soybean grown in acidic soils from western Kenya. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with eight treatments: control; NPK; manure; lime; manure+lime; NPK+manure; NPK+lime and manure+lime+NPK. Significant effects of inorganic fertilizers, manure and lime applications were observed on all the variables. Manure, lime and manure+lime treatments increased soil pH by 1.33, 2.19 and 2.28, respectively, above the control treatment. The shoot N was lower under control (1.71-1.81%), NPK (1.85-1.98%) and manure (2.00-2.11%) than under all other treatments. Treatments NPK+lime and manu...
Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 2020
The trials were set up in Busia, Embu and Kirinyaga Counties to assess the effect of tillage meth... more The trials were set up in Busia, Embu and Kirinyaga Counties to assess the effect of tillage methods and application of different fertilizer combinations on maize productivity in the lower and upper midland agro-ecological zones of Kenya. Tillage methods were no-tillage (NT) with crop residue retention as mulch (+CR) (NT+CR) and conventional tillage (CT) without crop residue retention on farm surface (-CR) (CT-CR) while fertilizer combinations were NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK+CaMgZnBS. The N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, B and S nutrients were applied at the rates of 120, 40, 40, 10, 10, 5 and 26.3 kg ha-1, respectively. The trials were laid in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement and replicated three times. The results showed that maize leaf area index, plant height, aboveground biomass, crop growth rate, and grain yield were significantly higher under CT-CR than under NT+CR in most of the sites. The CT-CR system out-yielded NT+CR system by 0.3 t ha-1 and 0.6 t ha-1 m...
Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 2020
Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production is constrained majorly by drought and low soil fer... more Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production is constrained majorly by drought and low soil fertility in Kenya. These limitations have never been adequately approached due to financial challenges and lack of better technology. A study was carried out in Kirinyaga and Embu Counties to evaluate the effects of tillage method and residual fertilizers on yield performance of dry bean. Dry bean was grown in the short rains season on plots preceded by fertilized maize (Zea mays L.) grown in the long rains season. The trials were laid out in a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement. The tillage methods, NT+CR and CT-CR, where NT: No-tillage, CT: Conventional tillage, and CR: Crop residue, were assigned the main plot and residual fertilizers (NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK+CaMgZnBS) the subplots. The results showed that there was 35% and 46% more water retention under NT+CR than under CT-CR system in Embu and Kirinyaga sites, respectively. NT+CR produced higher biomass, m...
Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research, 2020
Orange production provides both nutritional and financial benefits to farmers across Africa. Howe... more Orange production provides both nutritional and financial benefits to farmers across Africa. However, these farmers do not realize the full benefits due to low yields caused by poor agronomic practices currently applied in the region. This guide, therefore, highlights key practices that farmers need to adopt for better yields. Farmers should always follow the best practices right from the selection of a variety to harvesting practices for high yield and better quality fruits to be achieved. Proper land preparation helps in early weed control and improves water infiltration and growth of roots. Weeds should always be kept below economic thresholds to ensure efficiencies in the use of water and nutrient. Like other plants, oranges require proper nutrition for growth and development of big fruits. Both manure and inorganic fertilizers should be applied depending on the availability and cost. Soil analysis helps in determining the rates of application. During production, farmers should ...
Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 2019
Maize and dry bean are the most important food crops that feed over 85% of Kenyan households. How... more Maize and dry bean are the most important food crops that feed over 85% of Kenyan households. However, the productivity of these crops is low due to the high costs of land preparation and weed control, soil infertility and limited soil moisture under the current conventional tillage system of production. A study was carried in Embu County and Kirinyaga County to determine the economic returns of a maize-bean rotation system under different tillage systems and fertilizer regimes. Maize was produced during the long rains under no-till with crop residue retention (NT+CR) and conventional tillage with no crop residue retention (CT-CR) and inorganic fertilizer regimes (NK, NP, PK, NPK, and NPK+CaMgZnBS). Dry bean was planted in the short rains in the same plots where maize under different nutrient management regimes and tillage systems had been grown and harvested. The trial was laid out in a split-plot design with the tillage method as the main plot and fertilizer as sub-plot. Economic ...
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2019
Sugarcane is an important commercial crop for rural farmers in sub-Sahara Africa. To increase its... more Sugarcane is an important commercial crop for rural farmers in sub-Sahara Africa. To increase its productivity, farmers need to adopt better agronomic practices at all cane production stages. Proper and timely monitoring of pests and diseases must be done for early detection and control. This work therefore highlights key practices aimed at improving sugarcane production in Sub-Sahara Africa. For sustainable management of pests and diseases, farmers should adopt the use of resistant varieties such as D8484 and KEN 83-737 and environmentally friendly practices such as crop rotation, intercropping and use of less toxic pesticides that enable proliferation of natural enemies. A part from competition with sugarcane for key growth requirements such as light, space, nutrients, and water, weeds act as alternate hosts for major sugarcane pests and diseases hence timely and proper control should be put in place. Healthy sugarcane plants resist better the impacts of pests and diseases and must be maintained through a balanced application of adequate fertilizers and water during growth periods. Storage of harvested canes results in yield reduction. Therefore, harvesting of sugarcane should be done when millers are ready to pick the canes.
Maize production is affected by numerous biotic and abiotic related challenges in East Champaran ... more Maize production is affected by numerous biotic and abiotic related challenges in East Champaran District, Bihar State, India. The damages caused by these challenges are influenced by the season; high prevalence during Kharif season compared to Rabi season. The solution to these constraints calls for enhanced research-extension-farmer linkages to ensure better development and dissemination of technologies for adoption. Among these constraints, research should target developing varieties that are tolerant to water-stress, fall armyworm, stalk borer and aflatoxin attacks; and better site-specific soil infertility management. Besides, solutions to technical challenges like inappropriate maize spacing, poor and untimely weed control, use of local maize cultivars, poor storage methods, are already available and could effectively be managed through the use of extension agents to train and diffuse them among farmers.
Journal of Agriculture and Ecology Research International, 2018
Effective termite management strategies should involve at least one of the following: o Provisi... more Effective termite management strategies should involve at least one of the following: o Provision of adequate food to deter termites from attacking crops. o Enhancing multiplication and proliferation of natural enemies (e.g. nematodes, fungus, bacteria, virus, ants, frogs, beetles and spiders). o Reduce vulnerability of crops through improved crop nutrition and water supply for vigorous growth. o Integration of termite-repelling crops and plants in the farms. o Killing of termites e.g. use of termicide, physical destruction of the mound, killing of the queen. In areas regularly affected by termites, scouting and control should be incorporated as regular components of seasonal crop production trainings. Particular emphasis should be given to non-chemical practices which have significant cobenefits such as enhanced soil health. Effective and long-lasting control is based on combination of chemical and non-chemical practices-dig out mounds, kill the queen then spray with termicide. For fields which experience
Due to increasing popularity and use of agro-chemicals to control pests and diseases on fields, a... more Due to increasing popularity and use of agro-chemicals to control pests and diseases on fields, applicators of these pesticides, consumers of agricultural products and other living organisms are exposed to the dangers of these chemicals if not used properly. To mitigate these dangers and general environmental pollutions, farmers need to be trained on the dos and don’ts that ensure safer usage and increased efficacy. Key protection measures like use of right spraying equipment and wearing personal protective equipment such as waterproof apron, rubber gloves, gumboots, and breathing masks should be adhered to. Farmers should be reminded to read and follow properly the product labels provided before handling any chemical. In the case of using pesticide tank mixes, care must be taken to ensure that individual chemicals are miscible and never react to each other. The information on using tank mixes could be found from the product labels, approved and certified agro-dealers or agricultura...
Potato viruses are one of the major biotic factors causing high yield losses in potato production... more Potato viruses are one of the major biotic factors causing high yield losses in potato production fields. In contrast to other disease causing pathogens, potato viruses’ lack well documented chemical control strategy and hence difficult to control once established in the field. The aim of the study was to assess the reaction of different potato genotypes to natural virus infection in the field. The present study was carried out on 12 potato genotypes (7 CIP clones and 5 commercial varieties) at the Field Station of the University of Nairobi, Upper Kabete campus Kenya in two potato growth seasons. A Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) of 4 replications was adopted with 12 treatments. Data was collected on percent crop emergence, disease incidence, growth and yield performance. At the end of season 2, tubers were sampled randomly per genotype and tested for presence of viruses using CIP DAS-ELISA kit. Analysis of variance on different parameters revealed varied response of each ge...
Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research, 2019
Coffee is one of the most popular cash crops grown in Tanzania. However, its productivity has rem... more Coffee is one of the most popular cash crops grown in Tanzania. However, its productivity has remained low due to various biotic, abiotic and socio-economic factors prevailing in Mbeya Region. These production challenges have never been properly and intensively documented for better decision making. Therefore, this study was set to assess and provide a better understanding of the current production situation and available technologies and practices for enhancing coffee production in the region. The research was carried out in Iwindi, Msia and Lwati villages located in Mbeya Region. Two sources of data were used; (a) primary data collected through focus group discussion; and (b) secondary data collected through a systematic and intensive process that involved searching and collecting relevant publications. From the research, farmers were found to grow very old trees that were more than 20 years. The soils were found to have low levels of nutrients and organic matter. Soils are also a...
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