Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2756-326X Vol. 11 (5), pp. 001-015, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of Agricultural Practices and Agrochemical Use in the Lake Manyara Basin, Tanzania

Nonga, H. E.1,2*, Mdegela, R. H.1, Lie, E.2, Sandvik, M.3 and Skaare, J. U.2,3

1Sokoine University of Agriculture, P.O. Box 3021, Morogoro, Tanzania.
2Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, P. O. Box 8146, Dep., 0033, Oslo, Norway.
3National Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 750, Sentrum, 0106, Oslo, Norway.

Accepted 5th April, 2025

This study was conducted to assess farming practices, agrochemical usage and environmental pollution in Manyara basin, Tanzania. Field surveys, interviews, questionnaires and Lake Manyara nutrient analysis were used in data collection. The highest number (95%) of households grew crops, namely, maize, rice, banana and vegetables with median farm size of 3 ha. Irrigated farming was common (75%) which enhanced cultivation on same piece of land up to 6 times a year. Farmers indiscriminately used pesticides, namely, insecticides (50%), fungicides (37.5%) and herbicides (12.5%). Uses of endosulfan in vegetable farms poses public health threats to consumers. Most respondents (85%) applied insecticides in vegetables up to 4 times per cropping season. Excessive use of pesticides and haphazard disposal of pesticide remnants and containers caused environmental pollution. The average amount of acaricides used was 1109±915 ml (mean ± SD) per livestock keeper per month per. Most farmers (78%) used inorganic fertilizers and animal manure (43.4%). Low levels of ammonium (3.6±3.1 µg/L), nitrate (1±0.8µg/L) and phosphate (36.1±42 µg/L) were recorded in the lake. Easy access to agrochemicals, limited knowledge of pesticide on environmental health and limited extension services were factors for indiscriminate uses of agrochemicals. Increasing farmers awareness and training aimed at sustainable agriculture, agrochemical uses and integrated pest management is suggested.

Key words: Fertilizers, irrigation, pesticides, unsustainable agriculture, vegetables.
 

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2756-326X Vol. 11 (5), pp. 001-012, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Optimizing Deficit Irrigation Strategies for Winter Wheat Using the AquaCrop Model in Arid Environments

Hamidreza Salemi1*, Mohd Amin Mohd Soom2, Teang Shui Lee1, Sayed Farhad Mousavi3, Arman Ganji4 and Mohd Kamil Yusoff5

1Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
2Smart Farming Technology Laboratory, ITMA and Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University
Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Malaysia.
3Department of Agriculture Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.
4Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.
5Department of Environmental Sciences, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.

Accepted 22 March, 2025

Simulation models that clarify the effects of water on crop yield, are useful tools for improving farm-level water management and optimizing water use efficiency. The main purpose of deficit irrigation is high water productivity with less water supply to plants. In this research, the potential of AquaCrop model in deficit irrigation practice for winter wheat, the main agronomic crop in Gavkhuni river basin, Isfahan province, Iran, was studied. The results of reliability indices such as RMSE, d, E, CRM and deviation percent were 2.31 to 5.63, 0.97 to 1.00, 93 to 99, -0.15 to 0.016 and -0.70 to 12.00% respectively, and showed that, the model overestimated the simulated parameters compared with field data. This difference was more obvious in deficit irrigation treatments. The model provided excellent simulations of canopy cover, grain yield and water productivity. Considering only drought stress and neglecting other stresses such as salinity is the most important limitation of AquaCrop model. In this study, water productivity for the studied crop was in the range of 0.91 to 1.49 kg m-3 and its maximum value was in 40% deficit irrigation treatment. A second-order, yield-water function, obtained in this study is recommended for winter wheat crop. Also, the sensitivity analysis of AquaCrop model was carried out for winter wheat in this arid area in central Iran.

Key words: Deficit irrigation, Winter wheat, grain yield, water productivity, AquaCrop model.
 

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2756-326X Vol. 11 (5), pp. 001-006, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Dynamics and Composition of Perennial Grass Bud Banks in Flooded Meadow Restoration: A Study in Songnen, China

Li Hai-yan and Yang Yun-fei*

Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, Ministry of Education, Changchun 130024, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China.

Accepted 21 February, 2025

To describe the composition, size, temporal dynamics of bud banks of both perennial rhizomatous herbaceous Leymus chinensis and Carex duriuscula and to explore the contributions of bud banks to aboveground population persistence during the flooded restoration succession. Soil blocks 25 × 25 x 30 cm3 were sampled during two growing seasons from June to September. The total rhizome buds comprised the largest proportion of L. chinensis bud banks except for September of 2004 (juvenile tillers were the most). The top rhizome buds were the most of C. duriuscula bud banks. The percentages of total buds derived from tiller nodes and rhizomes of both species were nearly equal in the two-year study period. The productivity of L. chinensis and contribution of bud banks to population persistence were higher than those of C. duriuscula. Size of bud banks of L. chinensis was not significant between the end of two sampling seasons (1039.2 and 1232.0 buds/m2), and buds significantly decreased in C. duriuscula (1140.0 and 581.6 buds/m2). Over the two studied seasons, decreasing number of buds and low productivity as well as small contribution indicate that C. duriuscula which spread after flood event will be successively replaced by L. chinensis.

Key words: Bud bank, Carex duriuscula, Leymus chinensis, natural meadow, population persistence, restoration succession.

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2756-326X Vol. 11 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Synergistic Effects of Combining Alfalfa, Corn, Sunflower, and Date Palm for Soil Pollution Management

Mohebi A. H.* and Dialami H.

Date palm and Tropical Fruits Research Institute of Iran, P. Box 61355-16, Ahwaz-Iran.

Accepted 9 November, 2024

Uptake of pollutants by plants, and entering the food chain can cause different diseases for humans. There are different methods for refining contaminated soils. One low-cost method for refining contaminated soils is using phytoremediation that has lower cost, compatible with nature and require fewer facilities than the other methods of refining. Khuzestan province in Iran has oil wells that cause soil pollution. We carried out an experiment in a completely randomized statistical design in greenhouse with treatments such as: T1-sole date palm in non polluted soil (control), T2-date palm with corn in non polluted soil, T3-date palm with alfalfa in non polluted soil, T4-date palm with sunflower in non polluted soil, T5-sole date palm in polluted soil, T6-date palm with corn in polluted soil, T7-date palm with alfalfa in polluted soil and T8-date palm with sunflower in polluted soil. Total plant, shoot and root weight was measured and TPH concentration in soil was determined. The results showed that there was significant difference between fresh and dry weight of total plant in the different treatments. T3 had the highest weight and T7 had the lowest weight. Alfalfa larger amounts of TPH concentration was removed more than corn and sunflower soil in polluted soil.

Key words: Phytoremediation, date palm, corn, alfalfa, sunflower, TPH.
 

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2756-326X Vol. 11 (5), pp. 001-004, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phytochemical Properties and Biological Activities of Actinidia macrosperma Extracts

Yin Lu1,2*, Yunpeng Zhao2 and Chengxin Fu2

1College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou 310015, Zhejiang
Province, P. R. China.
2College of Life Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P. R. China.

Accepted 22 October, 2024

Actinidia macrosperma C. F. Liang is a medicinal plant in China and has been well known for its attraction to cats and activities against leprosy and cancers. In this paper, the petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-hexane and aqueous successive extracts from the stems of A. macrosperma were screened for antibacterial and antifungal activities in vitro for the first time, using the disc diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) / minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). General toxicity of these extracts has also been assessed by brine shrimp lethality assay. From the results, the chloroform extract exhibited the most significant antimicrobial (MIC in the range of 60 to 500 µg/mL, MBC in the range of 150 to 1000 µg/mL, MFC in the range of 170 to 600 µg/mL) and cytotoxic activities (LC50 = 16.82 µg/mL at 24 h).

Key words: Actinidia macrosperma; antimicrobial activity, cytotoxicity, brine shrimp.
 

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2756-326X Vol. 11 (5), pp. 001-009, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Grazing Management and Its Influence on Steer Growth and Vegetation Dynamics in a Zimbabwean Semi-Arid Environment

Bethwell Moyo1,2, Sikhalazo Dube3*, Charles Moyo4 and Edward Nesamvuni5

1Matopos Research Station, P. Bag K5137, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
2University of Fort Hare, Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, P. Bag X1314, Alice,
5700, South Africa.
3Natural Resources and the Environment, Ecosystems Dynamics and Processes Group, Council for Scientific and
Industrial Research, P. O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
4Khulasizwe Trust, P. O. Box QP 23, Queenspark, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

5Department of Agriculture, Limpopo Province, South Africa.

Accepted 24 December, 2024

A ten-year high stocking rate trial, mimicking communal areas was initiated at Matopos Research Station, Zimbabwe. Afrikaner steer crosses grazed continuously or rotationally at a high stocking rate (0.4 LU.ha-1) in two 45 ha areas, with one fenced into five 9 ha camps each for the rotational grazing sites, with 30 animals per site. It was hypothesized that, heavily stocked rotation will not improve herbage biomass, decreaser species abundance, basal cover or animal performance. Biomass, basal cover and decreaser species abundance were not (P > 0.05) significantly different between the grazing systems, save for Themeda triandra, Setaria incrassata and Panicum novemnerve, but were significant (P < 0.05) in terms of annual variation. Mean maximum steer weight gain was higher (P < 0.05) under continuous grazing. It was concluded that, the creation of rigid rotational grazing schemes in communal areas without proper stocking rates will not improve animal performance, herbage production, basal cover, but might have an effect on species abundance. In higher rainfall years, heavy stocking has no adverse effects on performance. Hence, any plans of grazing interventions on livestock management in communal areas, should consider stocking rate and rainfall, with a rapid stock reduction strategy in projected low rainfall years.

Key words: Basal cover, communal areas, grazing system, herbage biomass, stocking rate, weight gain.