International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 16 (6), pp. 001-010, June, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Wheat disease surveys in Zambia mainly targeted to wheat blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum (MoT)

Batiseba Tembo¹*, Xinyao He², Voster M’dumuka,¹ Suwilanji Sichilima1, Clement Chanda¹, Kangwa Maura Mwamba³, Aakash Chawade⁴, David Paul Hodson⁵ and Pawan Kumar Singh².

¹Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), Mt. Makulu Research Station, P/B 7, Chilanga, Zambia
²International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), El Batan, Texcoco, CP 565237, Mexico
³The University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.
⁴Department of Plant Breeding, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 23053 Alnarp, Sweden.
⁵International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), NARC Research Station, Khumaltar, Lalitpur 44700, Nepal.

Abstract

Received 20 April, 2026; Revised 22 May, 2026; Accepted 23 May, 2026 and Published 19 June, 2026

Wheat is an important cereal crop worldwide and in Zambia it is the second most cultivated cereal crop after maize. It is produced in both winter and summer seasons. However, the production of wheat in Zambia is threatened by wheat blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae pathotype Triticum. The disease was first detected in Zambia during the 2017/18 cropping season. It is prevalent rainy season due to conducive weather conditions prevailing during this period. To assess the distribution of wheat blast, a survey was conducted in wheat fields grown in winter and summer season from 2021 to 2024. A zigzag or W sampling pattern was used during the survey. The survey revealed the presence of wheat blast in wheat grown during rainy season. The incidences and severity varied each season, depending on the prevailing weather conditions. High disease incidences were observed in seasons with good rainfall and humidity such as 2021-22 and 2022-23, while in the 2023-24 season, disease incidences were very low due to the severe drought experienced in the country. However, no blast was detected in wheat grown under the cool and dry irrigated season in all four years when surveillance was conducted. 

Keywords: Climate change, incidences, monitoring, pathogen, rainy season, winter season, wheat.

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 16 (5), pp. 001-004, May, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Microbially Upgraded Jatropha curcas Kernel Cake: Impact on Goat Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility

Belewu,M.A and Akande, B.A

Microbial Biotechnology and Dairy Science Laboratory, University of Ilorin, Nigeria

Accepted 05 March, 2026

This study was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of fungi treated Jatropha curcas kernel cake on feed intake, weight gain /loss , digestibility coefficient and blood parameters of West African dwarf goat. Five diets were formulated with diet A (control, without Jatropha curcas kernel cake); B (50% Penicillium treated Jatropha curcas kernel cake +50% Soybean cake), C (50% Aspergillus niger treated Jatropha curcas kernel cake + 50% Soybean cake), D (100%Penicillium treated Jatropha curcas kernel cake ) and E (100% Aspergillus niger treated Jatropha curcas kernel cake). The animals (n=15) were randomized against the experimental diets in a completely randomized design model for a 56 day period. The results revealed highest crude protein intake for diet A and the least for diet E. The ether extract (EE) and crude fibre (CF) consumption were significantly higher for the control diet (A) compared to the fungi treated based diets. The crude protein digestibility was highest in diet A and least in diet C. The serum and haematological values are within the normal range for goat. It was concluded that West African dwarf goat can be fed a diet consisting of 50% Aspergillus niger treated Jatropha curcas kernel cake /or 50% Penicillium treated Jatropha curcas kernel cake in a mixed ration.

Keywords: Aspergillus niger, Penicillum sp, feed intake, digestibility coefficient, blood parameters

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 16 (4), pp. 001-006, April, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Cultivation of Fusarium venenatum ATCC 20334 via Surface Culture: Yield Optimization and Biomass Rheology

S. M. Hoseyni1, M.A. Mohammadifar1 K. Khosravi-Darani2*

¹Department of Food Science and Technology, Shaheed Beheshti University, M.C., Tehran, Iran
²Department of Food Technology Research, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shaheed Beheshti University, M.C., P. O. Box: 19395-4741, Tehran, Iran

Accepted 18 January, 2025

Fusarium venenatum (ATCC 20334) was used for fungal protein production. Date syrup was selected as a carbon source.The critical variables that affected mycoprotein production were identified by Plackett–Burman design (PBD).The significant parameters were the carbon source concentration (10 g/l), temperature (28 ˚C), seed size (10% v/v), nitrogen and phosphorus sources concentration (3.5 and 1.6 g/l) respectively. The rheological behaviour of filtrated biomass of Fusarium venenatum was studied under steady and dynamic shear conditions.This product showed shear-thinning behaviour with yield stress in the steady shear measurements.With respect to the dynamic shear measurements,the filtrated biomass showed gel-like behaviour.In addition,the viscosity at 100 1/s showed Arrhenius type temperature dependence, with activation energy 2.904 KJ/mol.

Key words: Fusarium venenatum, mycoprotein, Plackett–Burman design, rheological properties, surface culture.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 16 (4), pp. 001-006, April, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research paper

Engineering a Tropical Acoustic Exposimeter: Methodological and Technological Considerations

Okechukwu Felix Erondu and Azibakene Ogulu

Department of physics (medical physics) Rivers state University of science and technology, Nkpolu Port-Harcourt, Rivers state, Nigeria.

Accepted 12 January, 2025

The technical considerations in the design of a tropical acoustic exposimeter using the strain gauge principle are enormous. The choice of design parameters must not only be precise, but modeling should be done in such a manner as to produce a rugged, cheap, portable and sensitive device, comparable to existing designs. We have attempted to adapt the well-known radiation force balance designs to conditions specifically relevant in the tropical environment. Our study has identified salient peculiarities in the requirements for desirable liquid medium, physical and isotropic properties of the cantilever materials, choice of target angle and material as well as precise electrical circuitry. The treatment of water with Sodium aluminium sulphate, use of polystyrene and duraluminium as cantilever materials and precise choice and method of mounting the strain gauges have been suggested as novel modifications for a potential tropical model. Exploiting the technical considerations outlined in this paper, drawing from experience of various authors and precise modifications in the construction of suitable cantilever arms, we attempted to develop an experimental model. Using cantilever arms made of locally available materials, namely polystyrene and duraluminium with dimensions 100 x 5 x 0.6mm and 100 x5 x 0.6mm, our design had sensitivity of 2.13mV/watt, and 1.47mV/watt respectively. The power range is given for both arms approximately 6.1watts and a detection threshold of 128mW.With slight improvements, especially in the electronic circuitary, and use of locally available materials such as polystyrene and duraluminium, our device offer prospects for a successful design of an acoustic exposimeter for use in the tropical environment.

Keywords: Technical considerations, design, strain-gauge, acoustic exposimeter, cantilever arms
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 16 (4), pp. 001-007, April, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Bridging Tradition and Technology: An Ethnobotanical Framework for Biotechnological Research

Odara Horta Boscolo1, Lúcia Regina R. M. V Fernandes 2, Luci de Senna Valle1

1Departament of Botany, Museu Nacional/UFRJ, Laboratório de Etnobotânica e Taxonomia de Traqueófitos, Quinta da Boa Vista s/n, CEP 20940-040, São Cristóvão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ,
2 Instituto Nacional da Propriedade Industrial (INPI)

Accepted 17 January 2026

An ethnobotanical survey was done in Quissmã City, situated north of Rio de Janeiro State, during the period of 2001/2002.The study was carried out to collect information of species of plants used in traditional medicine by local population, and compared this information with those found in European Patent Office (EPO) and Japan Patent Information Organization (JAPIO) in October, 2002.A total of 94 species belonging to 49 botanical families were listed. The most representative families were Myrtaceae (8),Asteraceae (7),Lamiaceae (5) and Solanaceae (5). A total of 91 patent documents on 18 species were described. From these results, it is considered necessary to intensify efforts towards investments in programs designed to ensure proper search,inventory,conservation and management of biodiversity, as well as a system for managing the related patent documents. It is extremely important to form multidisciplinary teams for researches involving patents and plant biodiversity.

Key words: Ethnobotany,medicinal plants, patents,intellectual property.
 

Advances in Agriculture and Agricultural Sciences ISSN 2756-326X Vol. 12 (4), pp. 001-012, April, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Integrated use of Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi, Biochar and Kale biofumigation against Fusarium Wilt of Tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici

Bawen T. Kiplagat¹* Chebet K. Daniel¹ and Chiveu C. Josiah¹

¹University of Eldoret, School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Department of Seed, Crop and Horticultural Sciences, P.O. Box 1125 - 30100, Eldoret, Kenya. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

Received 16 November; 2025; Revised 22 December, 2025; Accepted 24 December, 2025; Published 14 April, 2026

Tomato wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), is one of the most destructive and economically important fungal disease, resulting in significant yield loss ranging between 10%-90%. The disease is primarily managed using chemical fungicides, which are not always sustainable. The present study focused on evaluating eight treatments comprising of the individual and combined effect of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), biochar, and kale biofumigation on the inhibition of two isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in vitro. The experiment was conducted in a split-plot arrangement using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications in the Plant Pathology laboratory, Department of Seed, Crop, and Horticultural Sciences, University of Eldoret, Kenya. Potato dextrose agar (PDA) was used for fungal growth. Tomato tissues were surface-sterilized and plated to obtain pure cultures of FOL using the single-spore technique. Two isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici were obtained from tomato plants showing wilt disease symptoms, namely FOL 1 and FOL 2. AMF was obtained from the commercial inoculant Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (RHIZATECH TM), biochar obtained from the seedballs company, Kenya, and the kale variety Ahadi was used for biofumigation. The interaction of AMF and FOL isolates was carried out using dual culture, food poison technique for biochar, sandwich-plate assay for kale biofumigation and modified assay for the combined applications. AMF, Glomus sp. was isolated by wet sieving and decanting technique.  The antifungal efficacy of biochar was evaluated by mixing it with PDA media at 1% (w/w) prior to autoclaving. Kale leaves were macerated and incorporated as biofumigant. The inhibition was determined based on the reduction in the radial mycelial growth. The findings from in vitro experiments indicated that application of AMF, biochar, and kale biofumigation, alone and in combinations, suppressed the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici isolates. However, the degree of inhibition was isolate dependent. In the individual application, AMF alone had the highest inhibition in FOL1 with a value of 50.83%, followed by kale (43.74%). Triple combination of AMF, biochar, and kale biofumigation was the most potent, with the highest inhibition across the two isolates of 64.07% in FOL 1 and 52.12% in FOL 2, respectively. The findings of this study reveal the potential of integrating AMF, biochar and kale biofumigation as a viable and eco-friendly alternative to chemical fungicides in the management of tomato Fusarium wilt, contributing to a more sustainable integrated disease management, potentially reducing the reliance on chemical products and improving the agricultural productivity. 

Keywords: Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Tomato, Arbuscular Mycorrhiza Fungi, Biochar, biofumigation & in vitro.