International Journal of Agricultural Sciences

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-005, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluating the Effects of HCO3–, K+, and HSO3– on Rubisco Subunit Gene Expression (rbcL and rbcS)

Jianjun Hao*, Lina Liu, Yang Yu and Ruizhi Zhou

College of Biological Science and Technology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110161, China.

Accepted 15 April, 2025

KHCO3 and NaHSO3 were sprayed on the leaves of cucumber, and HCO3-, K+, HSO3- in liquor can accelerate the expression of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RUBISCO) large-subunit (rbcL) and RUBISCO small-subunit (rbcS) genes. These results proved that, mRNA content in the leaves of rbcL and rbcS was increased and the carboxylation activity of RUBISCO was also improved obviously, the content of RUBISCO has not increased but decreased. According to the analysis, we obtain that K+ ,HCO3-, HSO3- could affect the expression of rbcL and rbcS in a transcription way.

Key words: RUBISCO large-subunit (rbcL), RUBISCO small-subunit (rbcS) expression, RUBISCO.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-007, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Drivers of Small-Scale Farmer Membership in Agricultural Organizations: Evidence from Ghana

Bright Owusu Asante1*, Victor Afari–Sefa2 and Daniel Bruce Sarpong3

1CSIR-Crops Research Institute, P. O. Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana.
2AVDRC- The World Vegetable Center, Regional Center for Africa,  P. O. Box 10, Duluti, Arusha, Tanzania.
3Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.

Accepted 8 April, 2025

In recent times, governments of most developing countries have been promoting the formation and development of farmer based organizations as one of the keys to more rapid diffusion and cost-effective extension delivery to farmers. This is premised on the assumption that small-scale farmers can have easy access to market information, credit and input for their production, processing, and marketing activities by joining farmer based organizations. However, this study found out that despite such observed benefits, some farmers were not members of farmer based organizations. This study uses the probit model to assess the factors influencing the decisions to join farmer based organizations in Ghana. The results revealed that farm size, farming as a major occupation, access to credit to loan and access to machinery services influenced farmers’ decisions to join farmer based organizations in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Key words: Farmer-based organizations, probit model, decision-making process
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (5), pp. 001-013, May, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Technical Change and Productivity Growth in Iranian Rainbow Trout Aquaculture: An Analytical Approach

Behrooz Hassanpour1*, Mohd Mansor Ismail1, Zainalabidin Mohamed2 and Nitty Hirawaty Kamarulzaman2

1Agricultural Planning Economic and Rural Development Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, I. R. Iran.
2Department of Agribusiness and Information System, Faculty of Agriculture, UPM, Malaysia.

Accepted 31 January, 2025

Rainbow trout farming is an important contributor to the aquaculture industry in Iran. This study number of the factors including the socio-economic factor was considered for analysing the factors affecting technical change in trout aquaculture. A two-stage estimation procedure for this analysis was applied. The Malmquist index is then employed to measure the productivity and technical change in the first stage, while the pooled logit and tobit models were performed in the second stage so as to ascertain factors affecting the technical change or innovation improvement. The study was conducted to utilize panel data of 207 trout farms in the country over a five-year period from 2003 to 2007. The results of this study revealed that the total factor productivity (TFP) growth of rainbow trout farming in the aquaculture sector is substantially formed from technical efficiency change rather than technical change or innovation improvement. Hence, Iran still has a room to improve the TFP growth in the trout aquaculture, and this can be done by shifting its production frontier through improving innovation and development of new technologies. Based on the marginal effects analysis derived from the pooled logit/tobit regression, the factors that mostly affected technical change positively were suitability of water temperature (13 to 18°C), extension workshop and educational level of the manager. Conversely, the negative factors included the governmental insurance coverage, pond size and being government tenure, such as public companies and cooperatives.

Key words: Rainbow trout, total factor productivity (TFP) growth, technical change, pooled logit, pooled tobit, marginal effect.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (4), pp. 001-005, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Organic Waste Extracts as Hatching Inhibitors or Promoters for Meloidogyne incognita Eggs

Osei K.1*, Addico R.2, Nafeo A.2, Edu-Kwarteng A.1, Agyemang A.1, Danso Y.1 and Sackey-Asante J.1

1Crops Research Institute, Box 3785, Kumasi, Ghana.
2West Africa Fair Fruit, PMB KD 11, Kanda, Accra, Ghana.

Accepted 8 April, 2025

Plant parasitic nematodes significantly hinder food production particularly in the developing world where peasant farmers have little knowledge of these pests. Currently, synthetic pesticides which are highly detrimental to man and the environment are the principal means of nematode control. However, plant products might provide a sustainable control option as nematicidal properties have been identified in many higher plants. An in vitro experiment involving five organic waste extracts; citrus waste, cocoa bean testa, compost, poultry manure and oil palm bunch waste were therefore evaluated for their hatching inhibitory potential to the southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita eggs. Three concentration levels (w/v) that is 4, 8 and 10% of cold aqueous extracts of the organic waste compounds were filtered into 9 cm Petri dishes and infested with 100 eggs each. Hatching of eggs was monitored over a three time period; 24, 48 and 72 h after infestation of the eggs into the cold aqueous extracts of the five candidates in Petri dishes. The best result was obtained with citrus waste extract in which 5 eggs hatched while 73 eggs hatched in the distilled water (the control treatment) representing a hatching reduction of 93% at the highest time and concentration of 72 h and 10% respectively.

Key words: Hatching, Meloidogyne incognita, organic waste extracts, plant parasitic nematodes.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (4), pp. 001-006, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Assessing Post-Harvest Damage and Weight Loss in Maize: The Combined Effects of Sitophilus zeamais and Prostephanus truncatus Density and Storage Time

Tadele Tefera1*, Stephen Mugo1 and Paddy Likhayo2

1International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), ICRAF House, UN Avenue, Gigiri, PO Box 1041,
00621 Village Market, Nairobi, Kenya.
2Kenya Agricultural Reserch Institute (KARI), National Agricultural Laboratories, Nairobi, Kenya.

Accepted 8 April, 2025

A study was conducted with the objectives of assessing comparative grain damage and weight loss in maize due Prostephanus truncatus and Sitophilus zeamais at ten varying population densities (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 insects per 200 g grain) and three storage durations (30, 60 and 90 days), in a laboratory. The final insect densities, percent grain damage, flour (dust) produced and weight loss due to P. truncatus exceeded that of the S. zeamais. Mean final insect population density, percent dust production, and weight loss increased over the storage period for P. truncatus. However, percent dust production and weight loss did not show significant increase over the storage time for S. zeamais. Percent grain damage declined 60 days after grain storage for P. truncatus. However, percent grain damage increased sharply over the storage period for S. zeamais. A mean weight loss of 67.1 and 6.9% recorded at an initial population density of 50 insects 200 g-1 grain, after 90 days for P. truncatus and S. zeamais, respectively. Flour production by P. truncatus (52.8%) was higher than that of S. zeamais (1.2%) after 90 days due to extensive tunneling to the grain by the former. In conclusion, P. truncatus, caused high grain damage and weight loss, indicating that control measures should be designed at the onset of grain storage if the grain is planned to be stored for more than 30 days. Traditional grain storage facilities may not offer protection against P. truncatus, but promotion of the use of metal silos and resistant varieties in Kenya for grain storage is an alternative approach to reduce losses by P. truncatus.

Key words: Damage, dust, maize, population density, Prostepahnus truncatus; Sitophilus zeamais, storage time, weight loss.
 

International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 15 (4), pp. 001-006, April, 2025. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Optimization of Foliar-Applied Soluble Silicon for Zucchini Powdery Mildew Control: Impacts of Concentration, Application Frequency, and Runoff

H. B. Tesfagiorgis* and M. D. Laing

School of Agricultural Sciences and Agribusiness, Discipline of Plant Pathology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa.

Accepted 14 September, 2024

The effect of concentration, frequency of application and runoff of foliar-applied soluble silicon (Si) on the severity of powdery mildew (PM) of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) was evaluated. Soluble Si (250 to 1000 mgL-1), together with Break-Thru® (0.25 ml/L), was sprayed onto zucchini plants at frequencies of 1 to 3 times per week. The leaves of all plants were inoculated with a known concentration of conidia of Podosphaera xanthii 2 days after the sprays were applied. The effect of runoff was determined by covering some of the pots with polyethylene sheets, while others were left uncovered. Spraying Si onto zucchini plants reduced the severity of PM significantly. The efficacy of Si was improved by increasing the spray frequency. The best results were obtained when the frequency of the treatment was increased, and when Si was allowed to reach the root zone of the plants. When Si was applied onto leaves, direct contact between the spray and the pathogen seemed to be the main mechanism of action involved in disease control, and part of the spray (that is, the runoff) was absorbed by the plant roots, and subsequently played an important role in the health of the plants.

Key words: Podosphaera xanthii, powdery mildew, soluble silicon, zucchini.