Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 6 (4), pp. 001-008, April, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Rainfall characteristics, runoff rate and traffic flow on gully morphometric parameter growth and soil loss in sand-mined peri-urban, Uyo, Nigeria

O. E. Essien¹* and E. G. Okon²

¹Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, University of Uyo, P. O. Box 4309, Uniuyo Post Office, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

²Department of Agricultural and Food Engineering, University of Uyo, P. O. Box 1014, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.

Accepted 14 January, 2020

Abstract

The number of rain days, rainfall amount, intensity and erosivity, runoff rates and traffic count influenced soil losses or degradation of gully morphometric parameters of length, width and depth, and semi-circular ratio (SCR) and contributed significantly (p<0.01) to gully initiation and growth in sand-mined peri-urban. 42 gullies in 42.80 m² were studied, indicating that gully initiation and development on sand-mined land use in peri- urban was very intense. Rill/gully erosion initiation was more severe from the onset of rains in March to June than from July to August. June experienced high rainfall intensity, the most erosive rain and the highest gully frequency (21%) in the study area. June to August accounted for 57% of all gully frequencies, which correlated significantly (p <0.01) with runoff discharge (r = 0.811) and traffic count (r = 0.811) and their combined increase led to increased frequency or number of gullies developed. Highest monthly gully frequency (52%) occurred at the middle of the slope with 10, 21 and 17% frequencies at upper, lower slopes and valley sections respectively gully erosion grew by the degradation of the individual morphometric parameters of length, width and depth severally. The only 2nd order gully widened to increase gully growth and soil loss while the 1st order gullies lengthened to achieve gully growth and soil loss. For the 2nd order gully with final stage depth/width (D/W) ratio of 2.20, total soil loss was 155.00T per year.

Key words: Uyo, sand-mined, soil loss, semi-circular ratio, gullies.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-006, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Labour use efficiency in food crop production by farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria

A. M. Shittu¹, S. A. Adewuyi¹*, H. K. Sowemimo¹ and O. E. Fapojuwo²

¹Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

²Department of Agricultural Administration, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Accepted 07 January, 2020

Abstract

This study examined the pattern (sources and contract form) of labour use and the effects on production efficiency of food crop farms in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study was based on primary data collected from a cross - section of 170 food crop farmers that were selected using a multistage sampling technique. The data were collected using structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and regression (Multinomial logit, Tobit and Stochastic frontier) techniques. The study showed that majority (82.4%) of the food crop farmers were males, aged between 41 and 60 years (66.4%) and had at least primary school education (91.2%). The mean household size was five persons. The mean farm size was 1.8 ha with a mean farming experience of 25 years. The most widely used labour source for crop production in the area was household members. However, 64.1% of the farmers also recruited some hired labour. These were mostly employed on annual (46.8%) and /or job specific (33.9%) contracts. The mean labour use by farmers in the sample was 72.6 manday/ha; 34.6% of which were supplied by household members, 33.5% by labour hired on Annual Contract (AC), 14.5% by labour hired on Job Specific Contract (JSC) and the rest (10.8%) by Daily Paid Contract (DPC). The mean technical, allocative and overall economic efficiency were respectively 81.9, 42.0 and 34.4.0%. Stochastic frontier and Tobit regression analysis revealed that while the use of labour hired on DPC is associated with higher Technical Efficiency (TE), Allocative Efficiency (AE) and overall Economic Efficiency (EE) than what obtained with reliance on only household labour, the difference are not statistically significant. However, the use of labour hired on JSC is associated with significantly (p<0.01) higher TE but significantly (p<0.01) lower AE and overall EE. Similar results were obtained in respect of AC, while the use of labour saving technologies (herbicides and tractor services) were revealed to be associated with significantly (p<0.05) higher TE, AE and EE. The study concludes that although the use of JSC and AC could increase TE of farmers, it is at a cost of higher allocative and overall economic inefficiency. However, EE could be enhanced by increase use of labour saving technology including herbicides and tractor services. Hence the study recommends farmers should be taught the modern technology of food crop production to enhance the efficiency of production.

Key words: Food crop farms, production efficiency, Ogun State, Nigeria.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-007, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Integrated effects of humic acid and bio fertilizer on yield and phosphorus use efficiency in mungbean under rainfed condition

M. Sarwar, S. I. Hyder* , M. Ehsan Akhtar, Tauseef Tabassam and Shahid Riaz Malik

*Land Resources Research Institute, National Agricultural research Centre, Islamabad-45500, Pakistan.

Accepted 17 April, 2019

Abstract

Optimization of phosphorus (P) fertilizer for mungbean (Vigna radiata) was studied during kharif 2012 through integrated use of humic acid (HA), chemical fertilizers and biofertilizer viz., plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) at NARC. The plots were arranged in split-split design under three factors (HA, P levels and PGPR inoculation). Results indicated that application of HA at 50 kg ha^-1 along with 45 kg ha^-1 P₂O₅ (75% P) in presence of PGPR inoculation recorded the highest grain yield (1.96 t ha^-1) that is 19% more than the treatment receiving 100% P application alone (no HA and PGPR). The highest concentration of P (0.3 %) and N (3.5%) in whole shoot mung bean were observed in the treatment where HA was applied at 50 kg ha^-1 along with 60 kg ha^-1 P₂O₅ (100% P) and PGPR inoculation. However mungbean yield and P concentration was statistically at par with the treatment where P was applied at 75% of recommended rate along with H.A and PGPR. Based on findings of this study it can be suggested that HA and PGPR inoculation have significant effect on grain yield and improved P use efficiency (PUE). It showed that HA and PGRP enhanced P availability through chelation and reduce soil P fixation.

Key words: Humic acid, bio fertilizer (PGPR), P use efficiency, and mung bean.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 001-007, March, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Gross margin analysis and constraints to yam production in Osun State, Nigeria

Omojola, Joseph Toba

Anambra state University, Igbariam campus. E-mail: [email protected].

Accepted 09 November, 2019

Abstract

This study examined the gross margin and constraint to yam production in Osun State, Nigeria. Multistage, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 160 respondents for the study. Well structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents to obtain data. Descriptive statistics and gross margin analysis were used to analyze the data. Results revealed that majority (62.5%) were males, 90.3% were within the age range of 49 years and below, 58.3% were married, 70.9% had 6 - 20 years of farming experience and all the respondents had one form of formal education or the other. The enterprise was profitable based on the positive values of gross margin (N152,685,340), net farm income (N147,384,681) and net return on investment (0.92). Production was most seriously constrained by lack of capital, scarcity/ high cost of quality seed yams, high cost of labour, pests and diseases infestation and lack of modern technology. Yam farmer’s problems would be meliorated by the injection of more funds into agricultural production activities and the production of seed yams using yam minisett techniques. This would improve efficiency, enterprise profitability and sustainability.

Key words: Gross margin, constraints, yam production, Osun State, Nigeria.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2381-3911 Vol. 6 (2), pp. 001-003, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The relationship between sex and age of buffalo’s infestation with ectoparasites in Sohag Governorate, Egypt

Abd El-Aleem Saad Soliman Desoky

Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Egypt. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract

Accepted 07 October, 2019

Abstract

During the present survey, 45 buffaloes were inspected for ectoparasites infestation, among them 40 buffaloes were found infested with two species of ectoparasites. The buffaloes were infested by Haematopinus tuberculatus presented an infestation rate of 66.67% but Sarcoptes sp., was recorded in 33.33% of the buffaloes. The relationship between the sex of the animals and the ectoparasites infestation were also determined. Thirty females and 5 males were infestated by H. tuberculatus, while 4 females and 1 male were infestated by Sarcoptes sp. The relationship between the age of buffaloes and the different species of ectoparasites infestation was also studied. In this case 100% of the young animals were infestated by H. tuberculatus compared with 93.33% in claves, so a lower infested population was recorded in adult animal. On the other hand only 20% of the young population was infestated by Sarcoptes sp., compared with 6.67% in claves and adult animal.

Key words: Claves, ectoparasites, Haematopinus tuberculatus, Sarcoptes sp.