International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics

International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Vol. 5 (4), pp. 001-005, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Decomposition rates of plant residues under different land uses

Silvia Mónica Avilés Marín¹*, Arturo Galvis Spínola², Angel Faz Cano³, Roberto Soto Ortíz¹, Ángel López López¹ and Daniel González Mendoza¹

¹Institute of Sciences in Agriculture, Autonomous University of Baja California Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.

²Postgraduate College, Montecillos, State of Mexico, Mexico.

³Superior Technical School of Agronomic Engineer, Technical University of Cartagena, Murcia, Spain.

Accepted 16 May, 2015

Abstract

We evaluated the mode of decomposition in relation to biochemical quality of plant residues and land use. Alfisols under different uses (woodland, grassland and cultivated soils) mixed with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and wheat straw (Triticum aestivum L.) in doses of 10 t ha^-1 (dry weight) were incubated in laboratory, in triplicate. CO ₂ emitted from soil was measured after 20, 40, 60, and 80 h of incubation, and the amount of released C was calculated (mg C g^-1 soil). The difference between the amount of C added by the plant residue and C liberated as CO ₂, was named residual C. The C loss was greater and residual C retained was lower (p<0.05) for Alfisols where alfalfa was applied than for those were wheat straw was added, which was a function of the biochemical composition differences between the alfalfa and wheat straw residues. Regarding the land use, residue C loss was lower (p<0.05) in woodland (Haematoxylon campechianum and Bucida buceras) soils (rates from -0.12 to -1.02 µg g^-1 /day), and greater in grassland (Gramineae) and cultivated soils (Sorghum vulgare and Yucca sp.) (rates from -0.28 to -1.37 µg g ^-1 /day). We conclude that the C loss, by decomposition, increases in order of woodland > grassland > cultivated soils, and less residual C is retained.

Key words: Organic matter, organic wastes, alfisols, land use, soil respiration.

International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Vol. 5 (3), pp. 001-013, March, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Representational participation of informal and formal smallholder irrigation in the Zimbabwe water sector: A mirage in the Mzingwane catchment

Oniward Svubure¹*, Rhodante Ahlers² and Pieter Van Der Zaag²

¹Department of Irrigation and Water Engineering, Chinhoyi University of Technology, P. Bag 7724, Chinhoyi, Off Harare-Chirundu Highway, Zimbabwe.

²UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, Westvest 7, P. O. Box 3015, 2601 DA, Delft, The Netherlands.

Accepted 19 November, 2015

Abstract 

The water sector reform process in Zimbabwe culminated in 1999 with the establishment of catchment councils and their respective sub-catchment councils in all the seven delineated catchment areas of the country. These councils provide the formal arena where stakeholders articulate and safeguard their interests in the water sector through representational participation. This study focussed on the key stakeholder, formal and informal smallholder irrigation and investigated their representation in the sub-catchment and catchment levels respectively. A framework of analysis, informed by the notions on representational participation was constructed to help us understand how smallholder irrigation gains representation in the new water councils. Using the case of the Mzingwane catchment in southwest Zimbabwe, the study found that the new water councils were virtually unknown to the water users on the ground. The representational participation of smallholder formal and informal irrigation in the Mzingwane catchment can be best described as a mirage. The research study recommends the adoption of the micro-catchment level as the lowest tier for integrated water management and a union for smallholder irrigation Water Users Associations (WUAs). Also, more financial support to provide technology can leverage the participation of more community members in productive water use. A review of the framework to include the role of politics is also recommended to improve its analytical power.

Key words: Smallholder formal and informal irrigation, water users association (WUA), representational participation, catchment councils, sub-catchment councils, Mzingwane catchment, Zimbabwe.

International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Vol. 5 (2), pp. 001-008, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

In vitro antifungal activity of Streptomyces spororaveus RDS28 against some phytopathogenic fungi

Al-Askar, A. A., Abdul Khair, W. M. and Rashad, Y. M.*

Biology Department, Teachers College, King Saud University, Riaydh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Accepted 11 November, 2015

Abstract

One hundred and twenty-eight strains of actinomycetes were isolated from different soils in Riyadh region, Saudi Arabia. All isolates were screened for their antifungal activities against Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani, Fusarium verticillioides, Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea. A potent antagonist against all tested phytopathogenic fungi, designated RDS28, was selected and identified as Streptomyces spororaveus RDS28 according to analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence. Factors affecting the production of the antifungal compounds were investigated. The results showed that incubation of S. spororaveus RDS28 for 72 h at 31°C and initial pH 7.5 on a medium containing glucose as a carbon source and proline as a nitrogen source gave the best antifungal antibiotic production. The culture filtrate of S. spororaveus RDS28 was extracted and purified and rechecked for their in vitro antifungal activities against the tested fungi. It can be concluded that, the antifungal antibiotic produced by S. spororaveus RDS28, demonstrated an obvious inhibitory effect on the tested pathogenic fungi.

Key words: Alternaria alternata, antibiotic, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium solani, Fusarium verticillioides, Rhizoctonia solani.

International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Vol. 5 (2), pp. 001-007, February, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of agroforestry species in potential fallows of areas gazetted as protected areas in North-Togo

Fousseni Folega^1,3, Samake Gabriel^2,4 , Chun Yu Zhang¹,  Zhao Xiu Hai¹*, Kperkouma Wala³, Komlan Batawila³ and Koffi Akpagana³

¹The Key Laboratory for Silviculture and Conservation of Ministry of Education, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, People’s Republic of China.

²College of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China.

³Université de Lomé, Laboratoire de botanique et écologie végétale, Faculté des sciences, BP 1515, Lomé, Togo.

⁴College of Agronomy, IPR / IFRA, Katibougou Bp: 06, Koulikoro, Mali.

Accepted 21 October, 2015

Abstract 

The surrender and no juridical statute areas of Northern Togo protected areas were subjected to forest inventory. The data obtained was analyzed after ethnobotanical investigation. The research was conducted in order to determine available forest agroforestry species. It is also aimed to assess and to determine their roles and functions; and to characterize the potential parkland of these areas. The 118 forest samples were processed floristically .Then, Ward method was used through the hierarchical clustering to cluster them into the main group. The agroforestry species sorted after ethnobotanic survey, were analyzed base on the information collected. The results showed that fifty plant species were recorded, among which twenty nine are agroforestry species. The Combretaceae and Leguminous are both the most frequent and the abundant families in the areas. The common agroforestry species still are Vitellaria paradoxa, Parkia biglobosa, Lannea kerstingii, Vitex doniana, Ficus gnaphalocarpa, Sterculia setigera, Tamarindus indica and Adansonia digitata. Four potential agroforestry parklands were found. Parks 2 and 3 present the aspect of regular parkland while the two others include some old fallows and shrubby savanna. The results of this study also show that apart from the frequently quoted agroforestry species, there are also many species which are important for the farmers.

Key words: Agroforestry, surrender, protected, areas, Togo.

International Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics Vol. 5 (1), pp. 001-013, January, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Women’s literacy and extension education in rural eastern Mediterranean Turkey

Sevgi Tüzün Rad¹*, Đsmet Boz², Sefa Polatöz³ and Hacer Çelik Ate⁴

¹Erdemli School of Applied Technology and Management, University of Mersin, Mersin/Turkey.

²Department of Agricultural Economics, Kahramanmaras Sütçü Đmam University, Kahramanmara /Turkey.

³Silifke Vocational School, University of Mersin, Mersin/Turkey.

⁴Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Agriculture, Süleyman Demirel University, Isparta/Turkey.

Accepted 11 May, 2015

Abstract

In spite of an increasing number of projects and campaigns in public policies to higher, the schooling ratio among girls have been applied in Turkey since 1997, societal gender disequalities are still very important problems of education. Especially in rural areas there are thousands of girls who cannot complete education even elementary school system. Morever, informal education opportunities are also insufficient for women. The primary purposes of this research were to determine the level of women’s participation in formal and informal education programs in rural areas of Mersin province, and to determine the efficiency level and income generation capacity of training programs designated for women in the area. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) was used to investigate the relationships between several socio-demographic and educational variables. Research findings showed that the young women wanted to educate their daughters for reaching better living conditions when they become adults. The major constraints for educating girls are poor living conditions for rural families and difficulties in meeting school expenditures. In addition, women’s participation to various training programs was quite low, and most of the women found the training not useful because it provided information which was practically unusably for their daily life.

Key words: Rural women, extension education, ınformal education, literacy, Mersin/Turkey.