ABSTRACT Stem borers are among the major biotic stresses limiting the grain yield of maize, an important cereal crop in Africa. Breeding for multiple resistance to maize stem borers has been reported to be a promising method of control. Understanding the genetic variability of crop populations will help in improving them for pest resistance. Thus, genetic variability for dual resistance to two stem borer species were determined in a white (DMR ESR-W) and a yellow (DMR ESR-Y) maize populations...
ABSTRACT Biodiversity enhances capacity of ecosystems to provide food resources and sequestration services of pollutants in soil and water. Bitumen seepage could impact negatively on soil and vegetation, thereby reducing their value. Information on the impact of bitumen seepage on the abundance of biodiversity in Nigeria is scanty. In this study, effects of bitumen seepage on biodiversity were therefore investigated. The study was conducted in bitumen belt of Ondo state for three years, with ...
ABSTRACT Diversification is a necessity in rural areas, where farming alone rarely provides sufficient means of survival. Conceptualisation of livelihood diversification as plurality of activities from past studies is too narrow. Rather, livelihood diversification should be conceived in terms of the interplay of ability, assets and activities. Therefore, livelihood diversification among rural households in southwestern Nigeria was investigated. Multistage random sampling technique was used to...
ABSTRACT 1 Ecotourism is a capital intensive industry that requires private sector participation to complement 2 government’s efforts in its development. Information on private investments contributions to Ogun state 3 ecotourism industries is scanty. This study was therefore carried out to appraise private sector 4 investments in ecotourism in Ogun state with the view to ascertaining economic viability of investing in 5 the industry. 7 The twenty-eight registered private ecotourism firms (...
ABSTRACT Use of single soil specific extractants to determine plant available phosphorus and exchangeable potassium for crops such as bell pepper, are costly, laborious and time wasting. Bell pepper, rich in antioxidants, requires phosphorus and potassium for high quality fruit yield. Mehlich-3 (M3), a multi-purpose extractant could extract phosphorus and potassium simultaneously. However, M3 has not been evaluated and adapted for Nigerian soils. Therefore, M3 as a multi-purpose extractant of...
ABSTRACT Inorganic feed additives are commonly used in small ruminant production to promote growth. However, the problem of bioaccumulation of chemical residues in animals fed inorganic feed additives has necessitated the search for organic alternatives such as Fossil Shell Flour (FSF). There is dearth of information on the use of fossil shell flour as a feed additive in the diet of small ruminants. Hence, growth performance of West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep fed diets supplemented with FSF we...
ABSTRACT Pepper a perishable seasonal fruit, requires storage to extend its shelf-life. Appropriate postharvest handling and storage prolong longevity and preserve quality of Pepper Fruit (PF). However, there is dearth of information on its handling and storage in Southwest Nigeria. Therefore, the effects of postharvest handling methods and storage conditions on storability of PF were investigated. Two hundred Pepper Fruit Marketers (PFM) were randomly selected from pepper markets in Ibadan, ...
ABSTRACT Spermatozoon apoptosis in extended semen is a challenge to artificial insemination in poultry production. Chicken spermatozoa undergo damages in vitro due to lipid peroxidation among other factors. Extender supplementation with exogenous antioxidants could mitigate lipid peroxidation and improve semen quality. However, inclusion of antioxidants such as selenium and α-tocopherol in semen extender to improve quality of sperm cells has not been adequately documented. Therefore, effects...
ABSTRACT Soil erosion is a major threat to sustainable agriculture in the humid tropics. Management practices adopted to control soil erosion and improve soil quality include mulching and the use of Vetiver Grass Strips (VGS). Integrating VGS with mulch could be more effective in controlling soil erosion than VGS or mulching alone. However, information on the effectiveness of combined utilisation of VGS and Vetiver Mulch (VM) in controlling soil erosion and improving crop yield is scanty. The...
ABSTRACT Women are responsible for the bulk of agricultural processing activities in rural areas. Dearth of effective processing facilities has limited their productivity, thus predisposing them to low welfare status. Development Partnership in Higher Education (DELPHE) intervention sought to enhance women processors‟ capacity, however, its effect on their welfare status is yet to be ascertained. Therefore, the effects of DELPHE project on welfare status of rural women processors in Oyo and...
ABSTRACT Inadequate access to agricultural information contributes largely to low productivity among farmers in Nigeria. The print media has been especially implicated on its low coverage and provision of agricultural information, thus limiting readership among farmers. To validate this observation, the extent of coverage of agricultural news in print media and farmer’s readership were therefore assessed. Content analyses of Nigerian Tribune, New Nigerian, This Day, The Punch and The Comet ...
ABSTRACT Conventional vegetable protein ingredients in poultry feed are costly and relatively scarce. Moringa oleifera Seed Meal (MSM) is an oil seed rich in protein, which can be exploited as an alternative vegetable protein source. However, the potential of MSM as a protein source for broiler production has not been adequately documented. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the utilisation of MSM as a protein source in the diets of broiler chickens. Moringa seeds were harvest...
ABSTRACT Ecotourism development (ED) is one of the factors promoting sustainable utilisation of natural resources. Stakeholders‘ attitude towards natural resources in Old Oyo National Park (OONP) can undermine or enhance conservation goals of the park. Information on stakeholders‘ knowledge and perception that can be used for ED in OONP is limited. Therefore, this study assessed the knowledge and perception of stakeholders on ED in OONP, Nigeria. Simple random sampling technique was used ...
ABSTRACT Conventional protein ingredients are expensive, thus necessitating the use of alternative sources of the nutrient. Feather Meal (FM) is high in Crude Protein (CP) but poorly digested by monogastric animals due to the presence of keratin. Poultry requires exogenous enzymes to break it down to its constituent amino acids. Information on digestibility of CP of FM in broilers is scanty. Therefore, ileal CP digestibility of FM supplemented with protease in broiler chickens was investigate...
ABSTRACT Unsustainable forest land use practices have resulted in land degradation in the northern part of Nigeria leading to low crop yield. Agroforestry is a viable option for reversing dwindling crop yields through proper soil management practices. There is notably no sufficient published information on the contributions of agroforestry to food production in Katsina State. The practices of agroforestry and its potential to slow down the pace of soil degradation and boost food production in...